


Zero To Hero

by Heavenlysoul2000



Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon), Terraria, Terraria (Calamity Mod)
Genre: A Novelization of MM:HOPH and Terraria, Eldrich abominations, Exploration, F/M, I'm not tagging all them Characters, Might Include OC's, POV Multiple, mining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:35:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heavenlysoul2000/pseuds/Heavenlysoul2000
Summary: What's worse than waking up with no memory?Waking up with no memory, AND an absurd "destiny."You (think) you never really had any interest in becoming a hero, but when the world you live on is threatened by a legion of Horrific monsters, it's seemingly up to you and this strange group of friends that you've made to repel them back to the hell-scape that they came from.
Comments: 15
Kudos: 51





	1. Open Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Placing Rocks In The Dirt....
> 
> Placing Dirt In The Rocks....
> 
> Making Bats Adorable....

**_________________________________________ **

**Chapter One**  
**Open Your Eyes**

**~ The Beginning of Legend ~**  
**________________________________________ **

**Eons ago, the Gods established balance to guarantee fairness to a living things in the world. This balance was of paramount importance, there was no cost too great in seeking it's fulfillment.**

**Cthulhu, an eldritch horror with immeasurable power and unknown origin arrived with one sole purpose: to rain destruction and gain total dominion over the planet.**

**No man or weapon could stand against the demon, and all hope seemed lost. The very fabric of the planet was on the verge of collapse. However, the ancient dryad race, with their unparalleled connection to the planet were the last hope of the people.**

**The Dryads, were unable to kill Cthulhu. However, they were able to cripple Cthulhu's ability to wreak further havoc on the planet. Tearing out his eyes, part of his skeleton, and chunks of his brain.**

**Cthulhu was forced to retreat to the dark side of the moon, where it dwells, recovering for another chance at total conquest. The Dryads would sadly perish, the sole survivor having not been seen for hundreds of years.....**

**Cthulhu will eventually return, ready to swallow the planet. Unless someone, some hero stands in his way. Some tide to repel the darkness, the planet's doom is assured.**

**Who is this hero....?**

**________________________________________________________________________________**

Thursday, March 23rd, 20XX. Phase: Waxing Gibbous

"Hhh......why am I so weak?"

The four-foot canine leaned against the frame of his window. A rapidly cooling cup of tea held tightly in his tiny paws. The moon was shining brightly against the inky black sky, giving it a relaxing navy blue hue to it.

The Sweetie-pie rested his head on his hand, his tired eyes watching the stars twinkle against the night sky. He had told himself that he would lay off the tea....seeing as it gave him a bad case of insomnia. But if anyone saw how his people behaved sometimes, they too would relapse their bad habits.

"What a day....." The small dog said, glancing over to his desk across the room, a small name plaque stood at the front, displaying a name in bright gold lettering;

_ "Dr.Blue Alastair, Psychiatrist" _

He felt his lips curl upwards into an uncharacteristic scowl. Some good that medical degree was doing, considering that his "friends" were incredibly childish. Today had been the start of.....well _something_.

The Ruby Pure Heart had been fractured; courtesy of two newcomers crashing right into it's shiny red exterior. The damage was minor, but enough to hinder the protective force-field that had kept Pure Heart Valley safe from prying eyes.

And unfortunately, there were repercussions to having a giant ruby looming thousands of feet into the sky. Might as well make a sign _begging_ monsters to come and eat them alive, one by one. Ol'Blue let out a sigh, no wonder everyone calls him a stickler.

Taking another sip of lightly-sweetened tea. Blue looked to the sky once more, imagining what kind of day the new _"Sheriff"_ will bring in the morning. The stars were extra bright tonight, so much so that he could see them flicker and.....

And.......

.......Wait a minute.

Blue squinted as he slowly lowered his teacup onto the windowsill. Among the cluster of stars, one of them was beginning to flicker and shine excessively bright.

Was it.....getting closer?

Ol'blue felt himself choke, had the almighty forces above decided to just put the Sweetie-pies out of their misery? The blue comet came closer and closer to the city, Blue could only wonder if the other sweetie-pies were awake and seeing their demise coming in a fl-

A bright blue flash, followed by a slight rumble in the ground brought the Psychiatrist back into reality. Opening one of his eyes, he slowly pulled himself back upward, slowly peeking outside....

The town was still there....

No buildings were damaged.....

Blue sniffed. The air now had a strange sweet, charred scent to it. Raising one of his eyebrows he looked right....then left. Where had the meteor gone? Eventually he looked down, and his questions were both answered and multiplied at the same time.

Lying there, smoke billowing from it's figure, was a person.

The pearly sidewalk was charred black slightly were the figure would lay, completely un-moving. It seemed to be lying on it's back, almost as if he was sleeping comfortably like it wasn't flying through the air at mach-seven.

Blue felt his eyes sting from how wide his eyes were, the wind drying his irises out. But he just couldn't believe what he had been witness to. Did someone really just show up from the _sk_ y?

Blue was a realistic dog. But the dots he kept connecting in his head led to the picture in front of him. Weighing his options; he could close the blinds right now and pretend he saw absolutely nothing, and let the sheriff handle it in the morning.

Or....he could muster some courage and see who or _what_ was lying in the ground outside.

* * *

"Unbelievable....."

Blue looked down at the.... _man_ below him. At least that what he assumed that's what his gender was. His body seemed hairless for the most part, save for his head. Which seemed to be full of it, so much so that it draped past his eyebrows. It was kind of stylish in a way. The only person who had hair like that was the king.

His clothes seemed....normal. A black, light, hood-less jacket with a maroon undershirt. Deep blue jeans and white trainers. His face seemed....gentle. Lips parted slightly as his broad chest slowly rose up and down. He was _alive._

Whether that was a good thing or not was still up in the air. Blue swallowed the lump in his throat and slowly reached a paw outward to shake the man's body. His paw dwarfed his figure, which made the dog more anxious. "Uhh.....hey."

Blue's voice was much too quiet for himself to hear, let alone wake somebody up. But against all odds, the figure stirred, eyes slowly opening to make eye-contact with Blue's.

"......Huh....?"

Blue guessed correct, he was male judging by the deep voice that emanated from the stranger's throat. Blue _still_ found himself intimidated. "Uhh.....you.....you're."

"Where.....am I?" The stranger interrupted, slowly sitting upwards, causing Blue to take a few steps back.

The old dog had found himself suddenly missing the townspeople's company. They usually investigated things as a _whole._ Blue however slowly found his voice. "Uh....You're in Pure Heart Valley......You came from the sky-"

He stopped upon seeing your face contort into a confused expression. If even the guy who _actually_ arrived from the sky thought that was unbelievable then he was looking really stupid right now.

"Nevermind.....are you okay?" Blue finally asked. The stranger looked down slightly, a hand reaching up to scratch the back of his head.

"Can I get back to you on that?" He uttered. Blue watched as he decided to try and stand.....and fail miserably as his knees quaked under him, sending him back down to the ground onto his knees.

The man barely stopped his fall with his hands. "Heh.....well this is..... embarrassing......" The small exertion of energy was enough to make his eyelids heavy again. He shook his head, trying hard to keep his consciousness intact.

"What's your name?" Blue had asked that before he could think. One thing he had realized was that this.....guy  
....made him overwhelmingly curious (a dangerous trait of the sweetie-pie species.)

"......It's Y/N......I think, that's all I can remember." Blue took note of the unsure look in his face. He had so many more questions, but remembering that it was the middle of the night. He decided that it would be better to wait until morning.

This "Y/N" seemed to be affable enough in their short, two-minute conversation. Blue wondered if Camille could do anything to jog the young man's memory.

.....Nevermind, Camille'd probably just end up siccing that giant _leech_ on him or something. "I guess you could sleep on the couch or something-" Blue's face grew flat once more, your face was pressed against the rather dirty sidewalk, having passed out once more.....

* * *

_"Ah geez.....Y/N you're so useless sometimes."_

The light sound of a ceiling fan slowly filled your ears. Slowly opening your eyes, you were greeted to the sight of a dull yellow ceiling. Blinking the blurriness out of your eyes, you slowly sat up, placing an arm on your knee to support yourself to collect info on your new surroundings......

......Which would have to wait, because you had a _splitting_ headache.

Lying back on what you figured out to be a rather comfortable lounge chair, you slowly laid back down, hoping to sleep the headache way. Letting out a rather uncouth yawn, you closed your eyes and began to drift back to sleep-

-Wait, there was shade now.

You lazily opened your eyes, your vision being obstructed by unnaturally large yellow eyes.

You let out a _very_ unmanly screech. And you tumbled off of the chair and onto the carpet below. You could the sound of childish giggling as you felt a carpet burn already forming on your cheek.

Sitting on your knees, you looked up at the newcomer perched on the top of the lounge chair. A sky-blue bat peered down at you while still stifling her laughter. It hadn't looked like any bat you had seen before....it looked more like a caricature of one if you were being realistic. A bright yellow heart was also tattooed on her bean shaped belly.

"And....where did you come from?" You say, pulling your most irritated expression you could. You stood up to your full height, taking note of how small the room actually was upon doing so.

"The next room over!"

Ah, so it was a _she._

"Well what's the 'next room over', if you don't mind me asking? Because I have no idea where I am right now. _Clueless._ "

Well that wasn't entirely true....from what you could remember from last night, that......guy told you were in Pure Heart Valley or something like that.

"This is Blue's office! _Mao Mao_ usually comes here on Thursdays. Badgerclops calls them "Daddy Issues" or something like that?" You felt your eye twitch. She had just hit you with like _four pieces_ of info that you know nothing about. "Okay, that's a bit much for right now. How about you start by telling me _your_ name kid?"

The girl drew in an excited breath and....

_"Adorabat!"_

_....._ Was rudely interrupted by a voice that did _not_ belong to the newly named _"Adorabat."_ After a second the person whose voice it belonged to entered the room along with- _holyfuck._

Clad in crimson-red armor pieces and cape, stood a bipedal cat with fur as black as the night. His acid green eyes were directly piercing your soul as his rounded eyes became slits as he seemed to be assessing you.

Standing behind him was an absolute _titan_ of a anthromorph. You were still trying to pinpoint what animal he was, if you had to guess, he was probably a _bear_ or something. Across his chest was a large brown satchel, leading you to take notice of his cybernetic arm, the metallic trimmings ending across his shoulder and the left side of his chest. If the cat's voice is that deep, his must been like that dude's from that insurance commercial you had seen once.

"Wow....you're _like.....naked_ kinda."

Wow. Nevermind.

His voice was like a warm summer's day, plus a winter in the Tropics. A near-permanent goofy smile was on his face. And the eye that _wasn't_ covered by an eye-patch was closed.

"What- No I'm- Look, where am I?" You say, taking a defensive step backwards. "Who.... _What_ are you people?!"

The black cat, scowled. Clearly not liking your tone at all. "Well, if you _must_ know, I'm the _Sheriff_ in this town." In the blink of an eye your vision was filled with acidic green as Mao Mao flash-stepped in front of you.

You felt your face heat up and your stomach lurch as you leaned back away from the Cat's prying gaze. "Now, we have a few questions for you....." The man looked you up and down. "..... _Whatever_ you are."

Oh you already knew this guy's type; the type of gets his jollies off to flaunting his power over people. You clicked your tongue defiantly. "Fine....hit me with your best shot, _furball._ " You leaned back onto the head of the lounge chair. "I've got _all_ day."

Mao Mao narrowed his eyes and pulled a notepad out, seemingly out of _nowhere_ seeing as he didn't have any pockets you could see.

"First off.....what's your _name?_ "

"Y/N."

"......."

"......What?"

"Your _last_ name....?"

".......Can I pass?"

"I'm not here to play _games,_ kid."

"......I don't remember."

"You don't remember your last name?" Adorabat added in suddenly, having materialized on your shoulder suddenly.

"Not only that, according to....Blue, was it? I apparently "came from the sky." You said that last part while making air quotes. "But I really don't remember my last name.....or what I had for dinner, or all of yesterday for that matter."

"An amnesia case?" Badgerclops said, crouching to his knees. "I doubt Blue'd lie about stuff like this."

Mao Mao only gave a light "hmph." in response. "Second question-"

"-Dude." Badgerclops nudged himself back into the interrogation. "If he's lost his memory, I don't think he'll be able to answer like..... _any_ of these questions."

Badgerclops knew Mao Mao was pulling the ol' reliable "intimidation" tactic. Not that had really needed it as a tactic. He knew his partner of several years had a resting bitch face.

But this time, his irritation seemed to be completely genuine. "I'll be the judge of that."

Man this guy was something else.

The questions came and went. You answered them all pretty vaguely, giving the most basic answers one; because it was all you could do.

And two, you knew it'd annoy the shit out of this.....Mao Mao.

* * *

"Ugh! Can you believe that guy?!" Mao Mao vented as he trudged along the street with his deputies.

"We don't even really know who that guy really is." Badgerclops said, restating the issue. "'Sides, he seemed pretty cool."

"Do y'all think he really fell out of the _sky_ like Blue said?" Adorabat perched herself on Mao's head, one of the many reprieves the junior-deputy was able to get. ".....I mean....I wouldn't look past it. Lots of weird stuff happens all the time around here." Badgerclops uttered, rubbing a metallic finger under his chin. "I am kind of interested in him though...."

"........"

Badgerclops felt blood rush to his face as his friends stared at him incredulously.

_"I meant in a figurative way! FIGURATIVE!"_

* * *

Outside of the town walls, a figure leaned against a tree. Letting out a sigh and running his hand through his light-brown hair, he dusted off his olive-drab jacket and began to make his way toward the valley. He had _hoped_ that the guy he was supposed to be guiding would've landed a little bit CLOSER to him, but no dice. And now it looked the locals had gotten a hold of him.

Letting out a groan, _Asher_ looked to the blue sky above. ".....Why me? I could've been a _baker_ , but _no_. I had to be a _GUIDE!_ be part of the "order"....!"

And as he made his way to the gates, his ranting voice became more and more quiet to the beautiful, yet oh so dangerous forest....The start of his....and Y/N's long adventure begins.....

He has a _hero_ to train.


	2. The Overworld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being awake for a grand total of two hours, our protagonist has a VERY interesting day while participating in the "perfect adventure"

**_______________________________________**

**Chapter Two**   
**\- The Overworld -  
  
~ The Daily Life ~  
  
** **_______________________________________**

"Thanks for pulling me off the streets by the way." You looked your reflection over in the window. You didn't look _too_ bad, your hair could use some work but otherwise, it was still you.

"You should thank the sheriff." Blue said while looking over his patient's (namely Mao Mao's) documents. "You're much too heavy for me to pull."

 _"Pfft."_ You ran your hands through your hair, smoothing down any stray hairs were out of place. "Like he'd accept it. The guy clearly didn't like me." You took the opportunity to glance the town over now that it was awake.

Sweetiepies big and small were out and about. Schoolchildren were out frolicking in a playground, some were relaxing in a nearby bakery, and two of them were-

-having a picnic in the _street?_

Two small dogs, yellow and pink happily sat upon a pink hounds-tooth blanket. A lovely spread of sandwiches, assorted fruit slices, and what looked like a whole pie for desert.

"Hey Blue? I'm not one to enforce the rules but uh....isn't a _p_ _ark_ the place where you hold picnics? _"_

"Oh, that must be _Penny_ and _Benny._ We do have a park but they have their picnics everywhere _but_ there." Blue answered, voice as monotone as ever.

Must have been a common occurrence. Foreshadowing just how ass-backwards this place probably was. Scratching the back of your head, you moved down a tier on your list of questions. "You've already helped me a lot and I appreciate it. But do you have any idea what I should do next?"

Blue took a sip of tea. You could have _sworn_ that mug wasn't in his hands a second ago. "You should probably start with the King. Though I'm pretty sure he'll just dump you on the sheriff again."

"The King?" You asked, voice riddled with disbelief. "There's a monarchy in this place?"

"King Snugglemange the _Twenty-fifth_ , to be exact." Blue swiveled around in his office chair. "You'd usually have to ask for an audience, but I think he's having his bi-weekly _"seafood-and-dairy feast"_ thing."

And you were suddenly very _unwilling_ to meet this Snugglemange character. Masking your discomfort with a shaky cough, you inquired; "Should I head out _now_ or....?"

"Now would be good." Was Blue's answer. Hell if you didn't know better, it seemed like the guy really wanted you out of his house. Not that you could blame him, you'd be anxious too if a stranger was freeloading in your house. "The king usually takes his nap after he eats, so you'd best hurry."

Nodding, you bid your final thanks and farewell as you stepped out of Blue house and into the sunlight. The very _very_ bright sunlight. Squinting, you shielded your face with your hand, letting your eyes adjust to the sun as you heard Blue's front door close, the only place of brief familiarity you had was behind you.

Soon enough, the bright pastel colored buildings came into focus. A gentle breeze rustled your hair slightly, like it was some kind of warm greeting from the town itself. This wasn't enough however, to curb the anxiety that creeped up your spine. You were _very_ much out of place here, but you had to suppress such feelings. You had so many questions that needed answering, but you had to take things one step at a time you supposed.

You swiveled your head around on your shoulders, looking past the various buildings until you saw it; a large, extravagant castle in the distance......geez this town was bigger than you thought. Well, you had better get moving.

Taking off into a brisk jog, you made your way toward the castle. You kept your head on a swivel as you passed by the many local hot-spots; Restaurants and drink-bars were littered about, the seductive smell of food permeating through the streets, along with a friendly looking bakery, with an assortment of sweets and pastries lining the viewing window. 

You felt your stomach growl in envy toward the people enjoying their dinner and desserts. You could only hope this King Snugglemange was _merciful._

* * *

"Oh you naughty little thing, you've been very bad, and _must_ go into the dungeon!"

Sat upon a tall golden throne, sat a muscular Lion. A small, but embellished golden crown sat atop of his rose-pink mane, a periwinkle blue cape adorned his broad shoulders along with poofy blue-and-yellow capri pants. A devilish smile spread across his face as he eyes the latest victim to his _insatiable_ appetite for sweets; A glazed berry tart with a sparkling candle lit at the top, a personal favorite of his.

 _King Snugglemange The Twenty-Fourth_ let out a content laugh as he opened wide, bringing the tart closer to it's impending doom-

-An irritating knock echoed throughout his throne room. His joy became sour.

"Ugh _. Commoners_. " Snugglemange relaxed himself into his throne once more. " _Quinton!_ Will you go see who that is? I thought I wasn't expecting anymore audiences today!"

"You weren't, my king." Quinton answered monotonously, flash-stepping across the room and in front of the doorway. The small bird smoothed his feathers down before opening the double doors.....

.....Allowing the uninvited guest to come tumbling onto the floor, sliding against the pearly white floors. Having been leaning against the door to possibly hear someone. It was crazy how you were trying to be polite, yet you've _still_ somehow made yourself look like an idiot.

Groaning, you slowly pushed yourself back to your height, right into the irritated gaze of who you believed to be King Snugglemange. "Ah! Sorry....about that I was just uh......" 

"-Trying to peep into _our_ throne room?" Snugglemange accused, finally sitting up straight on his throne. Although annoyed by the stranger's crime of interrupting his dessert, the man's strange appearance made the flamboyant Lion curious. "Who are you, what business do you have?"

Moving a tad bit closer to the throne, and beginning to pace as you began to explain what little there was you knew about yourself. From the whole bit about you falling from the sky, to meeting the Sheriffs, to Blue's instructions to meet with the King. "....And I was wondering if you would be able help me?"

The sound of giggling roused you back into reality. Instead of listening to you, it looks like the King had been more focused on eating his tarts. And he was _enjoying_ them too judging by the look on his face. "Wh-! You-?! Your Majesty?!"

Snugglemange jolted back into focus, his mouth still full of dessert, "Hm?! Oh-Oh yes. Let's see....." The King tapped his finger against his jaw while reaching for yet another tart, how he wished such a conundrum had been brought up to him after he ate. As the blood was all in his stomach instead of his head.

"Ah!" A smile stretched across Snugglemange's face. "I know!"

_Please don't call the sheriff. P_ _lease don't call the sheriff. P_ _lease don't call the-_

"Quinton! Will you phone the Sheriff?"

Before you could ask God why he hated you so much, the door slamming open once more stopped you.

_"Drop that TART!"_

* * *

Adorabat loved sunny Fridays like these. What with a break from skewl, more time to train with Mao Mao, and having countless adventures, she had _more_ than enough to look forward to each and every weekend. _"Doo doot doo, I love train-ing un-der Mao Mao~!"_

Adorabat idly sang as she put the finishing touches on her drawing, a little yellow here....a little bit more blue _there....._ and done! "Someday, I'm gonna be an adventurer just like Mao Mao!" Adorabat excitedly grabbed her picture and held it up for her larger friend to see. "See? _I'm_ the big one!"

Badgerclops tore his attention away from his chocolate cake, the picture depicting his feline friend bequeathing his prized Katana; _"Geraldine"_ to Adorabat. "I could teach you to be an adventurer too y'know? My ways are a _little_ different, but-"

"-Oh, oh, oh!" Badgerclops swallowed his cake and the groan that had almost came out of his mouth. Adorabat perched on the table, eyes alight with excitement as she began to bat at his hand with her wing. "Mao Mao's about to do something incredible!"

"Stop hitting me, dude."

Even from a distance, Mao Mao was not sharing in Adorabat's excitement. He stared disinterestedly at the situation before him: Pinky and Chubbum were currently in a slapping match over a _softball._

Mao Mao was _not_ payed enough for this. Letting out a sigh, he pulled his notepad and began is questioning. 

"So I had told him, that _that_ was _MINE!_ " Chubbum made a grab for his ball, only to be pushed back by Pinky's foot. 

"And what _I-I-I-I-I_ said, was that I _wanted_ it!" Pinky countered with his own story.

Mao Mao swore he felt a vein bust. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he quickly gave a solution to the two: "Why don't you give him _back_ the thing, and then you can both _share_ it?" Mao Mao watched the two, steal a glance at one another and....

_"Woooooow!"_

"Here ya' go, chum _!_ " Pinky exclaimed happily, handing Chubbum his ball back. 

"No, here _we_ go!" 

And Mao Mao had enough, he stomped off. Barely hearing Adorabat's exclamation of _"Great job sheriff, you're my hero!"_ andletting out a frustrated groan instead. "Y'know, when I agreed to be the sheriff here, it was to protect this place from _danger._ Not..... _babysit._ " 

"Man, _what_ are you talking about?!" Badgerclops said in disbelief. "We have great adventures like, _every day!_ Like yesterday when we fought the _Sky Pirates,_ and when fought that monster the day before!"

"Yeah, they are pretty great aren't they?" Mao Mao said smugly, a pleased grin spreading across his face. "But! They're not _perfect._ Y'see, the perfect adventure has _four_ key elements-"

 _"-Whhhhhaaaat?"_ Adorabat's eyes widened like dinner plates. Their _regular_ adventures were already a dream come true to her, but the _perfect adventure_ with Mao Mao? Zipping forward, she gripped the collar Mao Mao's cape. _"Tell me!"_

Mao Mao took a deep breath, eager to explain his wisdom to his disciple. 

Mao held out a finger. "First, is _mystery._ You know, what spies and intrigue and all that. Second, is _high_ s _takes!_ Like a...falling baby, or a bomb about to explode! And then, _extreme danger,_ that's pretty self explanatory. And finally, a big _fat reward!_ Together they create...."

Mao Mao puffed out his chest hand reaching toward the sky in pride. _"The Perfect Adventure!"_

Adorabat felt starstruck. Every single one of those factors were nothing less of an exhilarating time, and she wanted nothing more then to share an adventure like that with her two idols. 

"The _last_ thing you need, is more adventure." Badgerclops however, was not as excited as his small companion. "Why not try to relax for a single day?"

Mao Mao spluttered, It was safe to day that _'Relax'_ didn't really _exist_ in the Hero's vocabulary. But despite this, Badgerclops did have a point. He's had plenty of adventure since he became sheriff of the valley, a little relaxation wouldn't _kill_ him. "Maybe you're right. Maybe, my life as an adventurer is _over._ "

Adorabat felt an icicle get stabbed into her spine, her blood turning in a thick sheet of ice. Mao Mao was considering giving _up?!_

She choked. "Oh...."

_"NOOOOOOOOOO!"_

* * *

Asher's job was both honorable and _infuriating_. He had never liked crowds and this town just reinforced this notion of his. While he never really had a home before, actually having one wouldn't hurt, considering what he and this elusive _'hero'_ will have to deal with come nightfall. But the current issue was that the only guy who _could_ build one was lost somewhere in this city, and he had nary an inkling as to where he could possibly be.

If he didn't find him by sundown, things were going to become very _, very_ bad. Asher racked his brain as he ignored the stares he was getting from the half-pints that littered the city. Quickly turning on his heel, he skimmed past the landmarks in his line of sight until he landed on his most possible option: a large colorful castle.

"Bingo-!"

He was never able to finish, and to balance out his luck, the universe decided to hit him. With a bag of _apples_ to be exact. He let out a wheeze as his back collided with the concrete, The Guide looked down at the bag with a seething hatred. But whoever the hell decided to start throwing sacks around had an _arrow_ with their name on it.

Shifting the bag off of him, he stumbled to his feet and re-focused on his objective, time was of the essence. And he had to get this show on the road.

* * *

_"Huh.......hah......so HEAVY!"_

Badgerclops could only imagine how _this_ day was gonna end, Adorabat had _somehow_ convinced Mao Mao that some kind of conspiracy involving "spies" and "apple-bombs" was going on in the castle. And now, here he was, doing one of the most stressful things for him: climbing stairs, with his two friends stuffed into a bag slung across his shoulder. Not to mention, he was wearing a ridiculously small hoodie. "Why couldn't just go through the front door?"

'We're talking about a kingdom-wide conspiracy here!" A voice, Mao Mao said from inside the burlap bag. "We gotta play this stealthy! Why are you complaining anyway? We flew most of the way here!"

"Okay.....huff.....yes! But y'all are _way_ heavier than you look!" Badgerclops wheezed out as he finished climbing the _five steps_ he had to climb. 

"That's because I have dense bones!" Adorabat unhelpfully added. At which, Mao Mao shushed her. 

Badgerclops crossed the small courtyard toward the front of a small bakery. A personal one for the King no doubt. And he knocked a little tune on the door, to which, a mid-sized dog answered, he wore an adorable little baker's outfit.

_"Who is it~?"_

"I'm, uh, _Apple_?"

".....Well, that's a nice, _nice,_ name!" And the door shut, followed by the sounds of multiple locks being undone.

"Hmm, it _is_ a nice name!" Badgerclops agreed as he let himself into the bakery, clumsily smacking the bag into the door-frame and by extension; Mao Mao and Adorabat.

"Just drop the bag with the others." _Rhett_ instructed, gesturing toward the other bags of apples. Badgerclops wasn't listening however, his attention being taken a table nearby.

A table chock-full of pastries, pies and sweets alike.

The cyborg badger gasped. _"Unattended food!"_

Rhett suddenly found the bag dropped into his arms. And heavy it _was._ Rhett let out a surprised gasp as he quickly stumbled his way to the table, setting it down and opening it's contents-

_"Hi."_

Rhett felt his heart leap into his throat and something _else_ clench as he let out a screech of terror. The bag was suddenly ripped to shreds by a golden katana, and a black and red blur leapt through the air and landed in front of the chef who clearly didn't get paid enough for this.

"Alright spy! Tell me what you-"

Rhett had gone completely limp, his tongue would hang loosely from the corner of his mouth. 

"Oh." Mao Mao uttered. "He's out, he passed out...... _Dang._ "

"Welp, none of the food here are bombs." Badgerclops mentioned as Mao Mao set Rhett of to the side. 

"How do you figure?" 

Badgerclops gestured to the aftermath of his snacking, globs of frosting and pie-crumbs were strewn about. His table manners at that moment being bad enough to have tipped the table over. "Well, I _ate_ it, and I didn't explode. No apple bombs, so.....adventure _over_?" Mao Mao closed his eyes forlornly, and let out a sigh. "Let's go home...."

Adorabat, felt her nerves begin to wear thin. _"No! It can't end here!"_ she began to think, as Badgerclops and Mao Mao brushed past her toward the door, and the end of their adventure.

"Man, I can't wait to just chill, and eat some _steaks._ "

Wait.....steaks?

_"....Second, is high stakes!...."_

That's it! She's got it!

Adorabat zipped in front of her friends, cutting them off from leaving the bakery. "There's no bombs in here because...."

_"The king is already eating it!"_

"What?!"  
 _"What?!"_

* * *

_"Drop that TART!"_

So it turns out that these people were the masters of coming out of _nowhere._

Snugglemange let out a little screech of terror, nearly tossed his tart into the ceiling. Thankfully, it came sailing back down safely into his hand. 'Ah, haha, Mao Mao! My dear sheriff, whatever is the-" You watched as Mao Mao let out a strong war-cry as he dashed across the throne room's floor, and leaping high into the air before bringing Geraldine down onto the fork that held Snugglemange's tart. Stabbing the offending apple, he spun on his heel and sent it careening through the window above.

You had to admit, it was an impressive flow of movements. 

The King was more focused with other things at the moment, however. _"MY TART!"_ The displeased king suddenly stood up, enlightening you to how much you actually dwarfed him. "What are you _doing_?!"

You made a mental to never screw with this guys food, heck you and him were kind of alike on that matter. Mao Mao seemed pretty aloof to the Lion's distaste for his behavior, as answered with a quick: "Saving your life!" Badgerclops and Adorabat were quickly bringing up the rear as the bat whizzed by your head like a bullet and flash-kicked the remaining tarts out of Quinton's hands. They flew ceiling-high as you heard a mechanical hum come form Badgerclops' robo-arm. His metallic hand retracted into his arm, and a teal light began to flash and grow. Letting out a cry of his own, the light erupted into a ray that disintegrated the innocent tarts into ash.

Ash that fell into Snugglemange's paws. "I hardly got to eat any...."

The Cat's already large eyes seemed to grow even wider upon hearing that the King had already wolfed down some tarts already. "You already ate some?!"

"Nnnnyesss~!" Snugglemange chuckled.

You could vouch for that, but your combined confusion at the current situation, and your general introverted nature kept you silent. 

"W...Why are you looking at me like that?"

Mao Mao wasted little time as he tackled the unassuming King. You felt your jaw slacken at the sight of Badgerclops and Mao Mao absolutely _manhandle_ the good king. "W-What is going _on_ here?"

You suddenly felt a presence near your ear. A pair of wings gripped onto your shoulders. _"The Perfect Adventure~"_ Adorabat would eerily whisper into your ear. 

"Oh....O-Okay. So like, is this what everyday is like, around here?"

"No way!" Adorabat flapped her wings excitedly. "Mao Mao, Badgerclops, 'n' I always go on cool adventures!" You felt a grin tug on the corner of your mouth, something about that excited demeanor was contagious to you.

But it was also.....nostalgic in a way. And for a brief second, you swore she reminded you of someone that you _knew_. "Well, that sounds like fun. But tell me, do you know where someone like me could stay for a while? I tried to ask the King but I think I ended up going in a big circle." Adorabat let out a hum as she pressed the tip of her wing against her lower lip. _"Please don't say what I think you're gonna say."_ You prayed in your mind, as you watched the Bat narrow her eyes, her brain in overdrive trying to help her new potential friend.

Adorabat finally let out a gasp. "I know! You can stay with us-!"

"I think I've got the bomb!"

"What? BOMB?!" That had gotten your attention, you quickly backed away with Adorabat perched on your shoulder. If something was gonna explode, you had to get this kid _away_ from it. "Extract it now!" Mao Mao shouted as he held Snugglemange back. Badgerclops had somehow jammed his _entire_ metallic hand into the King's mouth. You unconsciously rubbed your fingers against your throat. That didn't look fun whatsoever. 

Badgerclops reeled his hand back in, hurriedly pulling out a bundle of-

"-Mush.....It's just..... _mush._ "

"So... _no explosives_?"

"~Nope!" Badgerclops said, popping the "p". Mao Mao let go of Snugglemange, causing you to run up and catch the hefty King in your arms before he could face-plant into the tile. "Are you....okay?" 

"I feel..... _violated_." King Snugglemange's eyes still rolled dizzily in their sockets, as you slowly helped him sit back down onto his throne. 

"Welp," Mao Mao chuckled nervously. "Our mistake your majesty! We'll uh haha....just forget about it-" No dice, Mao Mao couldn't cute his way outta' this one. You could hear a tea-kettle boiling over as Snugglemange went from dizzy and confused, to absolutely _enraged._

_"Get out!"_

You felt yourself and Mao Mao get ushered (more like forcibly shoved) out of the throne room. Leaving all four of you to sit awkwardly in silence, before Mao Mao let out sigh and began to solemnly walk downstairs.

"So uh...." You uttered, gesturing your arms out in an awkward greeting. "Nice to see you all again!" 

"S _uuuuup_." Badgerclops gave his relaxed greeting. "So, it looks like you got to meet The King."

You followed the group down the stairwell. "Yeah, Blue told me that The King would've helped me settle in, y'know, considering the memory loss and lack of a home and what-not." 

"Oh...." Adorabat poked her head out from over your shoulder. You reflexively shifted your head to the side to make room for her. "Did we mess up your chances?"

"Nah, If anything you showing up outta' the blue like that was a bit of a coincidence." You idly rubbed the back of your neck. "I think he was planning on dumping me on you."

"Figures." You would hear Mao Mao grumble from the front.

"Ah, you're Mao Mao right?" You say, feeling a blush forming on your face. You had to swallow your pride for what you were about to do next. "Anyway....I uh, wanted to apologize for being a smart-alec before."

"Hrmmm." Mao Mao only gave a grunt as a response as you all reached the base of the stairs.

So much for making peace. You could feel your potential relationship with Mao Mao going back to square _negative-_ one. Fortunately it seems that Badgerclops was on your side, as he wasn't having Mao Mao aloof attitude. 

"Dude! You could alt least _try_ to accept his apology! You don't even have to apologize first this time-"

His rant was quickly stopped as Mao Mao suddenly fell flat on his chest.

"Mao Mao!" Adorabat sped to her mentor's side. "Don't worry, I'm sure we can-"

"Aha!" Mao Mao exclaimed, his whole demeanor having taken a one-eighty. He had finally spotted what he was looking for: a paw-print indented into the stone tile. With a gleeful expression, he pressed a plaster cast of a foot (why in the _world_ did he carry that on him?) into the indention. The sound of machinery roared to life _,_ you could hear the sound of the stairs moving behind you. A large iron door was hidden behind the staircase, and Mao Mao gave a hearty laugh, his mouth growing to the size of his head. "HA! HA! I love being right."

"I'm sorry..... _what?_ " You uttered. "What is even going on today? I didn't get enough sleep to deal with this." 

"Wait, _what's_ going on?" Adorabat shared in your confusion.

"Simple~." Mao Mao winked like some kind of anime detective. During out tussle with The King, I had detected a whiff of sulfur and limestone, meaning he had been _underground_ recently. So I found his itinerary, which mentioned a _secret dungeon,_ I then manipulated Badgerclops into reaching down his mouth to distract him while I made a plaster-cast of the King's foot."

Mao Mao let out a triumphant laugh at his own explanation. "All that was left, was to find the _secret switch._ "

"What even _are_ you man?" You asked. "You got _all_ that just from manhandling The King, and smelling his hair?!" 

"And how'd you know you'd even need his foot?" Badgerclops added in. 

"Lucky guess."

 _"Of course It was."_ You snidely thought, at this rate you could'a sworn the guy was omnipotent or something.

* * *

Asher supported himself on his knees. The sun was high in the air, he still had time thankfully. How hard was it to find this guy? They were possibly the only two humans around! But Asher steeled himself, and regained his composure. He stood in front of two purple doors with gold embellishments, this was the throne room no doubt.

Asher brought his fist down onto the door.

_"Oh my- MORE VISITORS?! Quinton! Tell them to leave!"_

Ah! So he _had_ been here! Asher let out a sigh of relief, he _had_ to've been close by!

He was pulled out of his thoughts, as the door suddenly swung open, nearly taking his face off. A small, light blue bird stuck his head out. "His majesty will _not_ be taking anymore appointments today."

"I understand." Asher cleared his throat, bringing out his diplomatic tone. "But tell me, have you seen a man, looks like me, broad shouldered, has a black jacket?"

"Down that way." Quinton replied, pointing down the stairwell. "The King sent him off with the sheriffs after interrupting his mealtime."

The Sheriffs? "Thank you." Asher gave a slight bow before going on his way. Great, _more_ running. This "Y/N" person was going to get a earful-and-a-half from him. Or probably worse for all this work he was getting put through. 

Asher adjusted the bow strapped to his back by the drawstring. He knew the forest around here like the back of his hand, if he had to tough it though the night, then so be it. Wiping his forehead, he made his way _back_ down the stairs.....

Today, has _not_ been his day.

* * *

"Ah~! Smell that dank, _musty_ air!"

You and Badgerclops didn't share Mao Mao's enthusiasm, as you immediately plugged your nose from the aforementioned dank air. You had no clue how Adorabat wasn't complaining about this either. "Ugh! It smells like rotten grass in here! Where in the world does this even lead?"

"Tch. I don't know?" Mao Mao answered. "But _that's_ where the real adventure begins! I'm talking traps, fightin'-!"

Looks like Mao Mao didn't mind you tagging along somewhat. That's a relief, you didn't wanna' butt heads with him over and over again considering the fact that you're probably bunking with them for now.

"Fine." Badgerclops deadpanned. "Let's just get this over with, so I can resume my chill."

To your surprise (and everyone else's obliviousness) Adorabat glowered at Badgerclops. _"Hmmn! Badgerclops keeps trying to end the adventure, gotta' find a way to get rid of him if I'm gonna pull this off!"_

As soon as her demeanor was shifty, her expression un-scrunched itself. "Thanks for carrying me, Badgerclops." Adorabat said innocently. "Looks like there's gonna be a _lot_ of _walking~!_ "

Badgerclops looked like he had been told he had to give all of his snacks to charity for the rest of eternity. "That's it, I'm out _._ "

"What's wrong?" Mao Mao asked, his eyebrow raised. 

"We've been doing things _your_ way all day, man. _I'm done_." Badgerclops explained, his tone frustrated and tired. 

"But, what about the _'perfect adventure'_?" Mao Mao asked, his eyes were almost pleading in a way. _Almost_. "You keep saying _"Adventure"_ , when what you _really_ mean is, _"Walking up and down stairs all day"_!" Badgerclops sounded _extremely_ distressed as he placed Adorabat onto the stone floor. Real talk, you weren't a fan of walking up and down the stairs either, even if it's just to grab a soda. But you felt fine to be honest and that was _after_ running around town. "Oh come on, Badgerclops, it's not that bad."

"Not that bad?!" Badgerclops argued. "Dude, take it from me, _this guy'll_ have you doing crazy stuff all day! And today was supposed to be a regular _patrol!_ So y'all have fun in egg-blast caverns. _I'm_ gonna go chill!"

"Badger-! Ugh." You groaned, quickly following after him. 

"Badgerclops!" Mao Mao called out, throwing his arm over his head in mock despair. "Noooooooo-!"

"-Oh well." Mao Mao let out a chuckle. "He'll come around. _All_ perfect adventures have dramatic reunions!"

Adorabat beamed as she skipped down the stairs behind Mao Mao. _"It's all coming together! If I could just keep this adventure going...."_

Adorabat peered down, in her hands was the drawing she had made earlier in the day. 

_"All my little dreams will come true!"_

* * *

"So, is Mao Mao always this....delightfully eccentric?" You asked, letting out a yawn. Going home to chill wasn't sounding like such a bad idea anymore.

"He's a bit of a handful." Badgerclops responded. "I've known him for a long time now, though. He can be pretty good....if you look under all that ego."

"Something tells me that's easier said than _done_ , though."

"You've got _no_ idea."

You took a look down the middle of the spiral staircase. It _would_ make sense that the underside of the castle would be large as well. Being dimly lit by the reflecting water that dripped down the cave walls, giving the cavern a dim blue glow to it.

It was quite pretty, honestly speaking.

But what _wasn't_ pretty was the sight of something....some _one_ moving in the corner of your vision, but seeing that Badgerclops took up the left side of your peripherals, and Mao Mao and Adorabat were _god knows_ how further down the cave, you could only come to one conclusion:

This was a complete stranger.

A _raggedy_ looking one at that. This man's clothes were absolutely ruined, his gaze was focused on the stone stairs beneath his feet, greasy raven black hair occluding his face and most likely his vision. His skin was _filthy_ with black smudges and still-bleeding wounds. Like he had been recently attacked by a savage dog. His breathing was labored, as if his lungs were full of phlegm, and he was trying to breathe through a veil of water.

"Hey...." You said, wearily walking closer to the stranger. "Uh.....are you-?"

You couldn't find the proper words, Badgerclops had stopped moving up the stairs himself to see who you had found. "Uh dude....who's-?"

As if to answer Badgerclops's question, the man raised his head, a groan bubbling out of his throat. Droplets of black hit the rocks below with an ominous amount of noise.

And that's when you learned that this was an _it_ not a he.

From what you could tell, it was human once, but not anymore. It's eyes were dull red, like fading stoplights. It's teeth were filthy and covered with fresh viscera, it's struggled wheezing became viscous heaving.

The kicker was you weren't as panicked as someone probably would be in this situation. You stepped back in a complete haze, your brain no longer being able to process the events of strange world you've fallen into.

The monster would have gotten you too, had the sound of Badgerclops's panicked voice bringing you back into reality.

_"DUDE, GET AWAY FROM IT-!"_

Too late.

The thing....the _Creature_ lunged at you at breakneck speeds. It's rough hands gripped your head and right-shoulder roughly, and it's jaw seemingly unhinged like a snake. A piercing pain reverberated through your body as the undead husk sank it's teeth into your shoulder, just shy of your neck. Your shirt dampened with fresh blood as you let out an audible yell of pain.

"AHGH! GODDAMN IT! WHAT THE HELL?!"

Besides your yelling and the creature's hunger-filled snarling, you picked up a rising pitch like something was gaining charge....

Like a laser....

"Y/N!" Badgerclops called out. Holding his arm cannon steady with his organic hand. "Get it away from you! I don't have a shot!"

Good advice. You were pretty sure the creature was trying to go for your carotid artery. Mustering up all of your strength, you placed your hands under the creature's throat and on it's forehead. You gave one herculean shove, only to receive more pain from your shoulder, it had firmly planted it's teeth into you, and pushing it back only did the job of tearing chunks of your flesh out for it. Your teeth gnashed, your pain converting itself into irritated fury. Planting your hands on both if it's shoulders, you successfully pried it away from you.

With a heavy grunt, you pushed it back. And what was either a fit of anger or idiocy, you slammed your foot against the creature's solar plexus. With a otherworldly wail, the thing was sent tumbling down the stairs, you could hear it's grunts and not-so-nice sounding cracks as it's limbs hit the stair corners. It eventually came to a halt as it lifelessly fell into a solid enough position to hold itself on the stairs.

It had gone still. You hope.

Letting out heavy breaths, you supported yourself on your knees, and tried to make your shaking subside. Badgerclops's heavy footsteps approached behind you.

"Dude! Are you alright?!" Badgerclops looked over at your bleeding shoulder. You pulled back your shirt to reveal the gnarly bite-shaped wound that dug into your skin. That was definitely gonna get infected if you didn't dump alcohol on it soon. "I'm....I'm fine." You say, adjusting your shoulder to possibly move the pain out of you. Stars above, this was gonna sting later. "I just need to walk this off a lil'. What even _was_ that anyway?" Badgerclops leaned over the cave stairwell, not wanting to get closer to the thing if he didn't _have_ to. "Beats me. The monsters me n'the others usually fight are _much_ bigger than this."

"Well," You said with a sharp breath of air. "Rotting skin, walks with a limp, and has a serious case of the munchies?"

You and Badgerclops glanced at each other.

 _"Zombie."_ You both donned a knowing smile. 

Turns out speaking ill of the (already) dead was a bad idea. And if the consequences of disrespect didn't frighten you, the sound of a ferocious wail did. The creature had risen once more, and made a beeline for you while you were distracted. You and Badgerclops let out a dual-cacophonous scream as it came at you once more, to get it's meal that it was so denied. You held your forearms up in makeshift defense, _one_ of those flesh-ripping hickeys was enough to make you bleed profusely, you could only imagine what _multiple_ could do.

Instead of rabid snarling and the tearing of flesh, you were given the sound of a drawstring being pulled taut, an audible _twang_ along with a whistle of arrival from a projectile. Parting your arms, you were greeted to a view of the Zombie stumbling backwards with an arrow lodged deep within it's eye. It fell back onto the staircase, finally having been put down. You and Badgerclops, let out small, panicked breaths as you slowly turned around to see who your savior was, you half expected to see Mao Mao having come back to help convince Badgerclops. But, you were certain Mao Mao only used that katana of his.

Who you saw wasn't a black cat with serious issues, but a _man._ A man like you, who wore a olive colored jacket and deep-blue pants. But it wasn't his _clothes_ you cared about, no.

Like a light in the darkness, he was _human._ Just like you, and seemingly the only one around for miles too. Your mouth opened and closed like a beached fish.

The man ran a hand through his hair, resting the bow's drawstring on his shoulder.

"Good God in heaven. I've been _all over_ this city lookin' for you, y'know."


	3. Close Combat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long day, our protagonist brings the perfect adventure to a close.

**_______________________________________**

**Chapter Three**  
 **\- Close Combat -  
  
~ The taste of Danger ~  
  
** **_______________________________________**

  
_  
"More bait~! More bait~! More bait~!"_

Adorabat skipped down the cave stairs, holding a chocolate cracker with a dollop of peanut butter spread across it. While Badgerclops and Y/N had turned around, Her and Mao Mao's expedition continued onward, with her first find being the aforementioned snack.

 _"_ _What's this?"_ She had asked her mentor.

 _"Ah! Tut-tut-tut!"_ Mao Mao scooped Adorabat off her stubby feet, sparing her from the spike trap that rose from behind Mao Mao's back. _"_ That, _my little deputy, is what we call_ bait."

"Hmm~!" Adorabat hummed happily as she popped the cracker into her mouth. Her happiness would be disturbed by her foot nearly slipping into a hole of some kind. "Oh! Oh....what the....?"

She had narrowly avoided slipping through a large metal grate, however it wasn't the grate itself she was worried about. _Humongous_ yellow eyes stared back at her, causing her to let out a gasp and fall back onto her behind. "Aah! There's _monsters_ down there!"

Mao Mao gently took her wing and pulled her to her feet. "All the more reason _not_ to take the bait." Mao Mao guided her along the seemingly never-ending cave system. "Never forget, a-"

Mao Mao cut himself off, seeing as his verbal example became literal as he spotted something clinging to the wall some distance away. An over-sized cockroach somewhat disappointingly, but a monster was a monster after all. Letting out a laugh, he confided in his deputy. "This dumb-dumb can't take us on all by himself-"

Unfortunately so, another one joined the roach-ranks. Then another, then three more.

"Uh...." Mao Mao creased his eyebrow. "Yuh-oh."

"What do we _do_?" Adorabat asked, a hint of worry in her tone. Her answer came in the form of a satisfying ' _shing!'_ from Geraldine as Mao Mao readied his katana. "We _fight_!"

Mao Mao charged forward to meet his attackers. One of the closer roaches gave a rather weak lunge with he hopped over with ease. Focusing all his weight onto his legs, he stomped down on the insect's back and lobster-like tail, easily knocking it away. Mao Mao let out a loud war-cry as he leaped high into the air and Geraldine began to sparkle with holy yellow light.

Plunging himself down to the ground with an audible crash, a ring of light pulsate across the battlefield. The other roached unfortunate enough to touch them received glowing golden gashes all over them. In a (totally intentional) anime hero style, Mao Mao slowly sheathed his sword, slowing to a craw at the cross guard before closing them together with a _'click'_.

The roaches were, all at once, reduced to pieces as they faded into the aether. 

Adorabat was off like a bullet as she flapped her wings excitedly. "That was the greatest thing I've _ever_ seen! I will never wash these eyeballs...!"

Mao Mao didn't seem to share her enthusiasm much however. "It was, _underwhelming._ I mean, it _was_ dangerous but not _extremely_ dangerous. If there were about a hundred more of em', sure, maybe...... _maybe_ they could take me-"

Adorabat deflated. That wasn't the response she had been looking for at all. Adorabat's gaze slowly turned to the side, there would lay another piece of bait along with several more pairs of eyes. Taking a few innocent steps forward, she plucked the bait from it's trap-switch. Allowing several more over-sized roaches to emerge from their prison.

Despite her lack of fear, she let out a convincing yelp. Stopping Mao Mao from his monologue, and quickly getting his attention. "Adorabat?!" Three roach-creatures were about to surround the deputy on all sides. "Hang on-!"

A heavy smack to his chest thwarted his rescue as a claw smacked him a few feet backwards. Where in the _world_ had more of them show up from?! Mao Mao had been encircled by seven more creatures. He let out a growl. "Where'd _y'all_ come from."

_"Mao Mao!"_

In-between two of the Roaches, Mao Mao could see Adorabat scuttling off and away from more of them, eventually reaching the end of the rocky platform they were on. Adorabat yelped as she nearly stepped off the edge, the roach monsters beginning to corner her.

_"I'm coming!"_

Mao Mao leaped from the center of the insect crowd, toward Adorabat in a single bound. Just in time too, as the edge Adorabat stood on gave way, but before she could plummet a red glove caught her wing. "I gotcha! Now let's, whoa-!"

In his own haste and momentum, Mao Mao slid forward, causing him to go over the edge as well, leaving him only to cling to the edge as the Roaches came closer and closer.... "Aah! Why're there so _many_?!" Mao Mao would call out in frustration.

Adorabat looked away, guilt welled up in her soul in droves. _"There's no way you can keep this up...."_ She would think, all she could do now was just to....

"Mao Mao...." She began. "I have something important to tell you."

Mao Mao creased his brow. "What could _possibly-_?! Ah-!"

Mao Mao realized just how _close_ he was to slipping. And with how uncomfortably close the Roaches were getting, things weren't looking very good for He and and Adorabat. Think, Mao Mao. _Think!_

But he wouldn't have to, as one of the Roaches leaned over, possibly to scoop his hands right off of his wrists, a loud grunt of effort echoed through the cave. The Roach refocused on something else; the broad end of a short-sword sticking out of it's forehead.

_"Well, looks like we showed up just in time!"_

That voice. 

_"Y/N?!"_

The aforementioned human poked his head out from over the Monster's. "So you _do_ -" planting your foot onto it's back, and with a herculean pull, you yanked your new blade out of the creature's forehead, causing gross yellow viscera to spray and leaving an unsightly gash running across it. "-remember my name!"

You tensed as you heard a hiss behind you. There _were_ still more of them, gripping the copper hilt of your sword, you narrowly avoided getting your head taken off as one of them came at you. Swinging as hard as you could, you dragged a fresh wound across it's belly. 

Your newly acquired blade however felt and even _looked_ weak. But that fact that the Roach keeled over enough for you to mercilessly slash it's throat betrayed that fact. Either this sword Asher gave you was stronger than it looked or they were just _that_ weak-

"-HOW ABOUT GIVING US A HAND?!"

 _O-Oh right!_  
  
Sliding under another strike, you slid the rest of the way on your side just in tome to catch Mao Mao's hand, preventing them (or at least Mao Mao, considering Adorabat can fly) from plummeting to their untimely demise. _"Yay!"_ Adorabat squeaked, smile wide in delight before opening in fright. "Y/N behind you!" and your shadow suddenly grew so much larger as a Monster loomed over you, smart enough to know an opportunity when it saw one. But before it bring it's claw down onto your head. Something made it halt.

It couldn't see anymore, courtesy of a arrow shish-kabobing it's two eyes together. Letting out a screech, it's blind stumbling finally sent it over the edge itself. Allowing you to pull Mao Mao and Adorabat to sweet safety. "Sorry about the slow rescue, we kinda got uh.... _tied up._ "

With a "Yay!" of approval from Adorabat. And Mao Mao simply dusting himself off. Badgerclops made his presence known by blasting an intrusion of roach creatures. The Badger gave a prideful smile as he blew a billow of smoke emanating from his arm-cannon.

"We ran into a few problems." Badgerclops continued to explain "Besides, It was a _l-o-o-o-ong_ set of stairs back up _._ " Badgerclops then began to twiddle his thumbs nervously, a small blush dusting across his face. "And....I missed y'all."

"This is _real_ touching and all...." Asher backed up into your vision, pulling an arrow taut on his bow. "But we've still got _problems_ here!" Roaches were surrounding you all, but Mao Mao didn't seem to phased, he seemed _psyched_ if anything. 

"Pssh!" Mao Mao taunted. "This is _nothin'_! We can take em' just fine! Let's _do_ this!"

What ensued next could only be described a cacophony of destruction, Badgerclops and Asher taking a ranged approach and blasting many of the creatures with a combination of arrows and energy blasts. Mao Mao straight up _supplexing_ one, Adorabat lead several of them to off the edge (having suddenly remembered she could fly). You just kept hacking and slashing until bug limbs littered the ground.

"Whew!" Badgerclops huffed, wiping his brow of sweat. His bumped fists with Mao Mao. "That's gotta' be it!"

"No doubt, no doubt." Mao Mao agreed putting his hands on his hips, and striking a proud pose.

" _God._ " Asher huffed, digging though his quiver. "That sucked up _all_ my arrows." His complaints would have to wait, as the sound of light music slowly filled the area. Asher strained his ears, was he going crazy?

"Ohhoho!" Mao Mao chortled. "You hear _that_?!"

The cat ran off past you and Asher, having yet to question the other Human's existence. In the distance was a walkway lit by four braziers, illuminating a giant pair of padded doors.

....Who puts _padding_ on doors?

Mao Mao raced up to it with everyone in tow. You couldn't help but silently voice your relief. "Thank _G_ _od._ Please tell me this is almost over."

"And that there's an _elevator_ in there." Badgerclops added in. "Because I can't stand all these stairs anymore." You let a huff of air at Badgerclops's complaint, before jolting in remembrance. "Oh!" You flipped your Copper Sword around so it faced Asher hilt-first. "Here, thanks by the way."

Asher took the sword and re-sheathed it....somewhere. It kinda just dissipated from view. "S'fine." He would answer. "I need to give you _this_ actually." Asher pulled out a large sack and pushed it in your direction. "There's a _healing potion_ in there. It'll fix your shoulder. It's a bright red liquid."

"Shoulder?" Adorabat echoed. "What's wrong with your- GYAAH!"

Looks like Adorabat was squeamish to blood. That or your wound was just _that_ ugly. Your blue shirt was now becoming a nasty shade of purple as blood began to dry into it. You were probably gonna need another one after all this. Man, this wound _was_ starting to sting now that your mind was all on it.

" _Healing potion_ , you say?" You opened the sack while coming up on the giant padded door. The first thing inside was a much _larger_ sword, a basket-hilted _broadsword_ to be exact. Sitting next to it was a wooden bow, reinforced with copper fastenings, along what appeared to be a magician's stave (made out of copper what else.) A bright purple gem was nestled deep at the top of it.

Multicolored potions, a star shaped blue crystal, a hammer (copper, once again), Three _whole_ chests, unlit torches, rather cartoonish looking bombs, a blob of blue jelly with a golden crown sitting atop it- are those _bricks?_ And a few strange artifacts that looked more harmful than helpful-

_Wait a second._

Cocking an eyebrow, you pulled your head out of the bag and observed it. It was relatively small, _travel sized_ even. It had only just dawned on you how the contents inside could _never_ fit so snugly inside this seemingly magic bag.

"I....uh....Asher? How...?" You sputtered, pointing at the bag.

"I'll explain it all later." Asher answered, as if expecting your question. "Keep lookin'."

"Tch." You eventually found what Asher was talking about. A red viscous liquid inside of an Erlenmeyer flask, sealed tightly with a cork. After observing it for a few seconds, you removed the seal with a _pop!_ "So like, do I just drink _some_ or do I have to....?"

"Chug it." Asher answered.

 _Damn._ You grimaced for a second before sucking it up. You were willing to bet it tasted like _sleep medicine_ too. Oh well, down the hatch. You chugged the thick liquid, and you were hit with a spearmint flavor.....no it was cherry.....Creamsicle?

"How's it taste?" Adorabat asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm not sure, it's like....changing flavors really fast." You answered looked at the red stained flask that was now empty. "It's weird....it's like they're changing flavors-"

"-That you like the _most_?" Asher interjected. "Healing potions are some of the most universally used potions. They're made with special mushrooms that stimulate your brain, and make you taste your favorite foods. sorta like how smells do."

"Seriously?!" Badgerclops exclaimed, unaware such a useful thing existed. "Like if I drank one would It taste steak?"

"Oh yeah, not _just_ steak either." Asher said with a wink, smoothing some of his hair back down. " _All_ the foods you like. Even some of the ones you haven't had in _years._ " 

"Heh." You chuckle, popping the cork back on and putting it back in the bag. "Seems like a good party drink! I mean, that's something _I'd_ do probably, don't know 'bout y'all."

"Oh _no."_ Asher stopped you. "No it wouldn't be. You see there's a catch to these potions-"

"I friggin' _knew_ it _._ " You sighed. 

"-Well, you see, you're under an _'effect'_ right now. Courtesy of that potion, you have something called _"Potion Sickness"_ right now."

"P-Potion sickness?" You parroted, feeling a sweat coming on. What in the world was potion sickness? Were you _poisoned_ in some kind of way? "W-Well what's that?"

"It's nothing too bad if that's what you're thinking." Asher smirked, giving a dismissive wave of his hand. Says him, he isn't the one who drank the damn thing. "You have to wait exactly _one minute_ before you drink your next healing potion. Otherwise you'll uh.....puke your guts up." 

Huh, just goes to show how unfair life can be. You could hear Mao Mao clearing his throat as he pressed a hand against one of the padded doors. Music still sneaking through the seemingly thick doors. "Everyone! May I present to you, the _best_ part of a perfect adventure: Our big _fat reward!"_

With a wide smile, Mao Mao pushed open the doors to reveal their said reward, on the other side stood the most greatest reward that the cave could offer, after going through wave after wave of roaches;

King Snugglemange, playing his harpsichord without a care in the world.

Upon hearing the door creak open, Snugglemange cracked open an eye. And let out a yelp as he forcefully closed the fall-board on his Harpsichord. "Aah! What are _you_ lot doing here?!"

Mao Mao shared Snugglemange's disbelief. "What are _you_ doing here?!" He would shoot the same question back, but with much more _caliber._

"Practicing Harpsichord!" Snugglemange said as if it was obvious. Gesturing to his said instrument.

"Wha-?! _Hundreds_ of feet underground?!" Mao Mao slapped a hand to his forehead, in disbelief with the King's absurd downtime.

".....I'm very shy." Snugglemange mewled. A blush forming across his face.

"Well, what's with all the monsters?!"

"Overgrown _pests,_ I'm afraid." King Snugglemange answered. "I've tried everything to get rid of them. Traps, even peanut butter, but I just don't know what I'm doing wrong-"

Mao Mao had long since shut the door and sauntered past all of you. His gaze was zoned to the floor, as he began to climb up and out of the cave. 

Christ on his holy cross, you were gonna have blisters after all this.

[......]

Both humans cursed the day stairs were made. If the king was so rich why didn't he have escalators installed or something like that? Asher and his human compatriot were practically supporting each other as you finally stepped out into the sunset.

Wait, sunset?! _Oh no._

"Huuh.....huuuh....." Badgerclops wheezed. "Stairs: _bad._ "

You put your hands on your knees, letting out a tired huff. "Today has been _some_ day." Interlocking your fingers, you stretched as far as your body would allow you. "Man, I'm gonna pass out as soon as I hit a bed-"

"-It doesn't make any sense." Mao Mao started. "There was mystery, high stakes, extreme danger....where did we go wrong?"

Adorabat grimaced. Hot tears pricked the corner of her eyes, and the guilt was threatening to swallow her whole.

"I don't know what you're talking about." You said. "That seemed pretty fun to me! I've never used a sword like that before!.....I think."

"See!" Badgerclops's large hand came down onto your shoulder, his fingers alone were large enough to make you realize how much you dwarfed him. "Today was a win! And maybe the king's harp-a-cord-"

"Harpsichord." You corrected.

"Whatever." Badgerclops deadpanned. "What do you think Adorabat-?"

_"-I made it all up."_

"What?"  
 _"What?"_

 _"_ What _indeed?"_ You thought, giving the little Bat a side glance. _"Made_ what _up?"_

Adorabat explained herself with a heavy heart. "The mystery, the high stakes, _everything._ " Mao Mao's expression became solemn. "You...made it up? Why?" To which Adorabat's expression worsened. "I thought if you couldn't be an adventurer, you couldn't teach _me_ to beone." Adorabat kept her gaze on the ground. "And then, I thought you wouldn't even want me _around._ "

Mao Mao "So you're telling me, that you made up a government conspiracy, made us manhandle the king, and led us down into a cave to fight overgrown cockroaches. _All so you could give me the perfect adventure?"_

Your mouth quivered, eager to step in and say..... _something_ to defend the Bat, but you felt you had no say in this, not this time. Adorabat could only nod solemnly, tears threatening to spill out as her sins were put on display.

But as soon as Mao Mao's stern expression was there, he dropped to knees and pulled Adorabat into a warm embrace. _"Thank you."_

 _Genuine_ gratitude filled Mao Mao's tone as he held Adorabat's shoulders. The little one herself seemingly couldn't believe Mao Mao's current actions. "You're the _best_ little pal a sheriff could have."

You let out a small sigh of relief. Things turned put peacefully in the end after all.....

....Maybe Mao Mao wasn't so bad after all.

"-Also, lying is wrong?" Badgerclops added in, joining in on the hug. "I feel like we _glossed over_ that today."

"So, you'll still teach me to be an adventurer?" Adorabat asked. 

" _'Course!_ " Mao Mao said, flicking Badgerclops's hand off of his shoulder. "If I could find the time between teaching you to be a monster fighter and an action hero."

"Is there a difference?" You asked.

"No." Asher answered, along with a "Not really" from Badgerclops.

Mao Mao was quick to shush them both. "With friends like _you_ , Adorabat, _every_ adventure is a perfect one." Mao Mao walked toward the edge of the staircase, gazing far into the sunset. 

_"Who knows how many await us."_

**_"Wow! Are you an adventurer?!"_ **

The thought hit you like a brick. You felt your head throb slightly as you pinched the bridge of your nose. Were you....remembering yourself? Albeit a little bit at a time? That voice you just heard, it was light and innocent. Like it had been asked by a _child._

"You alright?"

You turned to face Asher, a look of curiosity on his face as he cocked his brow. "You looked really empty for a second." You creased your own brow in response, did it affect you _that_ bad? "M'fine. Uh....before all this, you said you had been looking for me, right? Why?"

Asher shook his head solemnly. His expression a far-cry from what it was before. "Well....I'd say you should be sitting when I tell you. because it's a lot to take in...."

"Well now I'm _even more_ curious, my guy." You said throwing your arms out. "Go ahead i can take it."

"Yeah, did I mention I like to eavesdrop?" Badgerclops materialized over your shoulder. Adorabat wasn't far behind, exclaiming about how she wanted to hear too. Mao Mao shook his head disapprovingly. "Have you two no sense of privacy?" 

Badgerclops gave his longtime friend a schadenfreude smile. "What? We're all gonna be roommates from now on, just like, consider this secret sharing or something-"

"Ah-hem!" Asher cleared his throat loudly. "Either way, you're all gonna find out what's coming." The man began the trek down the long set of stairs. "I hate to ask, but you said that you had a house we could stay at for the night? It's too late to Y/N to build one now."

"W-What?" You said. "Me? Build a house? In _one day?_ "

"Pff!" Mao Mao chortled. In agreement with how absurd Asher's statement had been. "I mean, come on, really. If _I_ could build a house in one day, the HQ would be a five-star hotspot!"

"No it wouldn't." Badgerclops sent a derogatory glare in the Cat's direction. "You'd make it look like _Fort Knox_ with guns and security cameras at _ev-er-y_ corner."

"The safety of one's household and the people in it should be _top_ priority above all else!" Mao Mao flailed his fists as if to put more emphasis on his point.

"- _Back_ to the point!" Asher snapped. "You're right though, no man could possibly build a home in one day...." The guide suddenly came a little to close to you, pointing a finger toward your chest. "But our friend Y/N here isn't like the common man."

Your eye twitched. Your life was just full of twist and turns, what could he have _possibly_ meant by that? "I-, You-, What do you mean?" Asher's grin turned almost.... _sanguine._ "I have so much to teach you, you've got an important duty ahead of you, friend."

"Duty? What duty?"

Asher walked down the stairs. Seemingly tuning out your question.

"Asher, _What DUTY-?!_ Ugh."

The sheriff's department could only blink at the display before them. They had seen a lot, be it fifty-foot monsters, strange inventions, _the hell-spawn that was_ _Pinky,_ flesh-eating corpsesand now, strange people showing up in town and bickering like siblings.

Adorabat was the first to smile, Maybe the adventure she looking for was _just beginning_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo Boy! This is the last of the episode transcription, we're gonna get into the real meat now, people!


	4. Journey Through The Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our protagonist begins his long and painful adventure, starting with possibly the worst thing of all; house building.

  
Asher remembered where he was when he awoke to soothing lamplight instead of the beating sun like he was so used to. The guide felt his joints ache in protest Asher slowly sat up off of the bed the sheriffs had given to him and his partner.

He was pretty sure the _"guest room"_ at the Sheriff HQ was just a makeshift cell. It was pretty barren save for a bed, a deep blue futon (which you had slept on) and a Chester-drawer with a lamp on it.

That and the door was literally just _bars._ Mao Mao had sworn up and down that it wasn't a cell, but Badgerclops had really just leveled with them. Asher groaned, Y/N _had_ make a new house even if it put off all the mining he had hoped to coerce you to do.

But first things first, where did you go?

**_______________________________________**

**Chapter Four**

**\- Journey Through The Forest -**

**~ The Tale Of A Cruel World~**

**_______________________________________**

It was the crack of dawn, and the humidity was already thick. Your hands gripped the metallic, sleek handle of the staff. The bag of goodies that Asher had so gifted you were still packed to the brim with materials you had yet to see the potential of. You had spent the last hour and a half swinging the sword, now you had decided to see what this thing was all about. You had spent the batter half of a minute just looking at it. The long handle was polished, however toward the bottom, the staff became a little warped and jagged.

The corner of your mouth turned upward in apprehension, you weren't familiar with the mystic arts. "Well, at least I don't _think_ I was." You cracked a joke to ease your nerves, and to no one's surprise, it didn't work. At _all_. You let out a breath you had been holding, and gripped the stave's shaft. You reared your hand back, and thrust your arm forward with an excessive amount of force.

......Nothing. Whoop-de-damn- _do_. You let out a groan as your arms fell to your sides. "Thank the stars nobody saw that."

"You're not so lucky _there._ "

You damn near jumped ten feet into the air, but you were only able to make three before landing on your feet. Asher rolled his eyes and stifled is laughter. "Well, getting used to the equipment I gave you?" You idly scratched your head at that one. "Ah, well I haven't gotten far into it yet. I was trying to figure out how this staff worked, but as you could see..."

"Magic is still a bit of an enigma. Some magic requires better focus." Asher explained. "That staff is one of the most _easiest_ magic weapons you're going to use." You felt shame creep up your spine. "Well, if it's _that_ easy, what am I doin' wrong here?" Asher gestured to his chest. "Your _[Mana pool]_ is a little low right now, you remember seeing some star-shaped crystals right?."

"Mana Pool?" You repeated. "And yeah, I know what you're talking about, the blue ones right?"

"A [Mana Pool] is essentially a person's magical essence that resonates within one's spirit." Asher explained. "Some people are born with a higher Mana Pool and become warlocks and mages, while some do not. But, there is a way to expand one's Mana pool...."

"Using that stave should be easy enough, you've just gotta channel the magic through your very _being._ " Asher saying that last part with emphasis. "Really imagine you wanna hit your opponent."

You swallowed, then looked back out into the distance that the Dojo had provided you. You closed your eyes and relaxed your body. _There._ There stood your imaginary opponent, getting zapped by whatever element this staff had to offer.

The staff grew warm in your hand, and the amethyst began to pulse and glow. Your eyes snapped open, and you pointed the staff forward, allowing a purple arrow-shaped bolt of energy to erupt from the gemstone and into the blue sky.

You let out a surprised chuckle before erupting into full on triumphant laughter. "Wow! Holy crap I actually _did it!_ " And to your surprise, Asher actually looked.... _pleased_ somewhat. "I'll admit, most people aren't able to fire off magic with minimal understanding like that, so that _is_ pretty impressive."

"What's impressive?" A tired voice joined the conversation. Badgerclops stumbled his way out onto the Dojo platform, smoothing parts of his fur down as he stepped out into the dim sunlight. 

"Oh, sorry. Did we wake you?" You asked. "Asher was showing me how magic works....." In a little bid to show off, you fired off another bolt of energy into the distance. "....And I gotta say; it's pretty cool."

Badgerclops chortled. "Just try not to scorch the house, 'kay hot-shot?" You grimaced, not liking the fact you were being underestimated. "Anyway, I was wondering if you two like, wanted a tour of the town or something?" You had considered Badgerclops's offer, but Asher was quick to answer, for both him _and_ you. "I know enough about the town, Y/N really needs to get started on that house we were talking about yesterday."

"Are you _still_ on that?" Badgerclops shook his head. But still pondered Asher's wording, he said he _knew_ about the town already? How much is _enough_ exactly? "I mean you're both welcome to stay in the guest room as long as you need to."

"Don't worry about us." Asher said, removing a knapsack from his back, and gesturing it in your direction. "It'll only be a matter of time before we start to take up space. _Lots of it._ "

You took the knapsack from him, holding it apprehensively. "What do you-? You know what, never-mind." You slipped the knapsack over your shoulders. "Just' tell me what we need to do."

"We?" Asher sneered. "You're the one that's gonna be doing all the heavy lifting."

Of course you were. You were getting the feeling that was gonna be a recurring theme around here. You rolled your eyes, and scooped up the bag containing your tools. "Well anyway, where should I start?"

"-By putting all those tools in that knapsack I gave you." Asher said. "You'll never get anything done lugging that sack around all day."

Badgerclops snickered. Asher cast a side-eyed glare.

Asher _did_ have a point there, you weren't exactly built like a pack-mule and this house building business was probably gonna be an all day affair.

You let out a "Hmm...." of curiosity. And you could already picture the secret behind this knapsack, considering _nothing_ Asher had given had been normal. You first pulled the pickaxe out, leveling it over the backpack's opening, you took one last glance at Asher's awaiting expression....

And you released the pickaxe, watching as it disappeared into the blackness of the container. The _thump_ you should've heard as the pickaxe hit the wooden floor under it was not there, just silence.

Your gaze snapped to your appointed guide, then to Badgerclops (who gave an unhelpful shrug). Your mouth turned into a straight line. Was it bad you were getting used to this? Deadpanning an "Alright then," and you began to fill your inventory, and followed Badgerclops back into the house.

The house was a lot less quiet now. Seems like Adorabat and Mao Mao had finally woken up. Both Adorabat and Mao Mao sat in front of the T.V, the little Bat excitedly watching an absolute _beefcake_ of a cartoon-cat in thick body armor and an absurdly sharp looking bamboo katana blade.

Luckily enough, you had caught the final glimpse of the show's colorful intro. The words "Kendo Ken!" Written in bright crimson lettering fading out into the introduction.

You couldn't help but let out a stupid smile, the show looked so silly. " _Kendo Ken,_ huh? What's this about?" Adorabat was practically vibrating in excitement. "Oh _gosh!_ It's my favorite! It's about this guy who's moving around from place to place helping lots of people!"

That seemed like a typical cartoon plot, but you hid your indifference. "Hmn, sounds cool! What about you, Mao Mao? Didn't really think you were the one to watch cartoons."

"......."

You bit back a myriad of insults. What the _fuck_ was this guy's problem?! Both Asher and Badgerclops could sense your shift in demeanor, and quickly stepped in.

"Come on, we should get started." Asher gestured outside with his thumb. Before turning to Badgerclops. "Thank you for letting us stay here." Badgerclops gave a nervous smile and a wave of his hand. "O-Oh, it's no problem! It was _our_ pleasure." Badgerclops sent a glare toward his partner, who still sat there with an indifferent expression.

The sliding door closed with a _clack._ With the departure of their guests, Badgerclops was finally able to speak his mind. "What is _wrong_ with you?! All he wants to do is be nice to you, and you just keep blowing him off!"

"......"

"And now you're giving _me_ the silent treatment? Really-?"

"I don't know _why._ "

The sudden answer caught him off guard. "Wha-? What you mean you 'Don't know _why?'_ I know you're like, _always_ grouchy, but it's like he's an ex-boyfriend or something-"

"Uh-di-di-di!" Mao Mao interrupted, the tiniest of blushes appearing on his face. He had to intervene before Badgerclops got any weird ideas. "No it's not like _that!_ It's just...."

From the moment he laid eyes on him, lying on the concrete like nothing was wrong, he didn't and _still doesn't_ like the effect the strange man had on him. He was hot with a variety of emotions, and he couldn't begin understand why he was feeling them.

Anger. Sadness. And strangest of all _betrayal._ Just like when....when _he_ left him for dead all those years ago. The memory caused the small of his back to ache ever so slightly and so he pushed it back down.

".....I just don't know, okay?" Mao Mao pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just feel like I've met him before and it's bugging me. _Badly._ "

"Why don't you just ask him?" Adorabat innocently asked. Eyes darting between Mao Mao and Kendo Ken. "I'm sure he'd be willing to tell you if he knew anything."

"Something tells me he _doesn't._ " Badgerclops leaned over the back of the couch. "If he knew who Mao Mao was, then he would've spoken up by now, don't you think?"

"Oh yeah...." Adorabat pushed the tip of her wing under her lip in thought. "Well....what _should_ we do?"

"We wait." Mao Mao answered, turning his attention back to the T.V screen. Just in time to catch one of Ken's morals that he spouts at the end of every episode. "Something's up, and I intend to find out. I'm not wrong about this, I know it."

 _"Remember, Jett."_ Kendo Ken explained to his friend on the T.V. screen. _"Good friends are always there for each other when they're in trouble!"_

**_"I'll be sure to visit next Summer, I promise."_ **

_"Gh-!"_ Mao Mao pushed two of his fingers to his temple. It was like his brain had been smacked. An image fizzled in and out of his memory like an old VHS tape.

He was little, lots of blue was in front of him, Was it a lake? And he was sitting beside a taller man, the bright sunset obscuring his vision from properly seeing his face, besides the glimmer of a smile. And that's when Mao Mao realized _he_ was smiling too, like he just found out what the expression meant.

Wait, he knows that place! His Summer where he stayed in Aunt Gloria's village, and met Bao-

 _-Him_ for the first time. But he had no recollection of ever seeing a man clad in leather armor,

....At least, he _thinks._

"Mao Mao!" It was then he realized he was being shook. Badgerclops rocked him from side to side shaking Mao Mao out of his stupor. His glazed over green eyes came back into focus. "Huh-? What-? What's wrong?"

"Dude, you like, totally spaced out in the middle of talking." Badgerclops poked the warrior's cheek, which was quickly swatted away. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"M'fine." Mao Mao said, rubbing his temple slightly. "Just a lil' morning headache is all....C'mon Adorabat, today, I'm gonna teach you about _agility_ and to do that, I'm gonna show you how to kick an egg without breaking it."

Adorbat's eyes lit up like Christmas trees as she let out a squee of happiness. _"Yay!"_

[........]

He wants you to what?

"You want me to _what?_ "

"Cut this down?" Asher rapped his knuckles against the oak, answering the question like the answer was supposed to be obvious. Well, it _was_ considering you had an _axe_ in your hands. "If you wanna' make a house, you need materials, and wood is one of the most versatile."

"I mean that's a given." You say slowly gripping the axe in your hands. "Just look at the 'Sheriff's department'." You slowly spread your feet apart, axe-blade raised behind your head. You took a deep breath, and.....

Lowered the axe-head to the ground. "Wait, are you sure this isn't gonna be an all day thing? I mean doesn't wood-cutting require more than just an _axe?_ "

"I told you before." Asher leaned against another nearby tree. "You're not like other people, you abide by _special_ rules so to speak. Now, cut the tree down so we don't become a zombie combo-meal." Your shoulder began to twitch, remembering the feel of teeth sinking into your flesh....

Motivated, you lifted the axe once more, and gave a herculean swing. The blade sinking into the oak tree's caramel-colored bark.

_Thunk....thunk.....thunk....thunk- Pop!_

In an instant, where the was once a tree stood empty space. Where this a cartoon, a big question mark would have _certainly_ popped up over your head. And if that wasn't enough, looking up, you could see the fruits of your labor come careening down toward the earth; neat bundles of woods along with larger-than-average acorns.

Your instincts kicked into overdrive, causing you to jump backwards and away from the falling wood before you ended up with a dented skull. Only for Asher to stop you with a hand on your shoulder. " _Relax_. Just stand still."

"What?!" You exclaimed. "Why would I stand still? I would've gotten hurt if that wood-"

_Shf!_

Your peripherals were wide enough to capture the seemingly impossible act of the wood flowing into your backpack _by itself._ The other bundles that had missed their mark sat idly in the grass. "W-What-? How-?" You took a sheepish step closer toward one of the logs....

And as if you had a magnet attached to you, it pulled itself off of the ground, bum-rushing behind you and into your knapsack. Your eyes widening so large, you thought they'd fall right out of their sockets. But instead, they zeroed in on your supposed _"Guide"_.

"Explain."

Asher shrugged. "What's there to explain? You saw it for yourself."

"Yeah, but! But-! Wood doesn't _do_ that-!"

"-Clocks ticking my friend, and I've got so many arrows that can fend off the dead." Asher tapped at an imaginary watch on his wrist. " You let out a grumble of frustration, moving onward to the next tree. And one by one they....blinked out of existence as they became logs of wood, free for your own personal use.

Axe still in hand, you meandered back toward your guide who seemed to be fiddling with the string of his bow. He seemed to be thinking real hard about something too, seeing as he barely heard you walking up. "Asher....?"

"Hmn? Oh, what did you need?" The man answered, you noticed a few droplets falling from the strands of his hair.....was he _sweating?_ "Um, how will I know when I've cut down enough trees? I've gotten to like....six of em, now."

"That depends on how big you want to make your home. That and the furniture you will need to make." Asher explained, propping himself off the tree. "And before you ask, you'll need to make a _table_ and a _chair._ But before _that_ you'll need to make a workbench."

"Oooookay?" You failed to hide your confusion. "And how do I make a _'workbench'_?" Asher simply shrugged, giving you another one of his annoying grins. "I don't know. How do _you_ think a workbench is made?"

"Wh-?! How the hell am I supposed to know? What kind of workbench are you even talking about?! The only one I can think about is waist-high, about half table height, along with a smooth.....flat....surface...?"

You realized how descriptive you were being of the supposed mystery workbench. You could already see the sagely smile on Asher's face right now. "Now I assume you have _ten pieces_ of wood already?"

"I don't know." You say incredulously. "I didn't really have the chance to count the _one hundred and sixty-seven_ pieces I collected-" It happened again. You wanted to believe that you had spouted a random number but the growing smirk on Asher's face pointed to the contrary.

"-Okay. _How,_ exactly, am I gonna build this workbench o' mine?" Asher rolled his wrist in a explanatory manner. "Well, you have to focus for this. Take ten pieces of wood out of your knapsack, and assemble the wood into the shape you were imagining before."

Doing as instructed, you reached into your knapsack and- "Wait, how to I take out _just_ ten? I already put other stuff in here, how am I supposed to take _those_ out when I want em'?" Asher's expression didn't change too much at this question. "You should know what's in your bag at the moment. It'll respond to whatever you desire most and how many of it you want at that moment."

"What kinda' _Twilight Zone_ nonsense is that?" You grumbled, although you had no time to complain. Rooting around in your knapsack you sensed around, _'_ _ten pieces of wood, that's all I need.'_

A weight was suddenly in your hands, yanking it out, it was exactly what you thought it was, ten logs, binded together in a helpful string. Brushing off all the strangeness of today, you began to fasten together your _'workbench'._

You stuck four pegs adjacent to each other into the ground you placed four more into a square frame, watching as each piece of wood seemed to morph and solidify into the wood. You gave a tug on it; it felt indestructibly secure. You continued to lay out the wood across the top as it smoothed and flattened itself into a table-top.

You realized your mouth had been hanging open slightly. Your hand sliding across the surface of the bench, it felt _fresh._ Like someone had just taken a sander to it mere seconds ago.

"Okay....?" You muttered. "Is it done?"

"It is." The Guide answered. "Now, you should start planning out where the house should be."

".....Was there somewhere that suited your fancy-?"

"It doesn't matter to me where you build it-" Asher stopped, looking to the sky in thought for a split second. "-Well, I don't think you should build it too close to the Sheriff's department, considering the Cat's apparent distaste for you."

"Pft." You rolled your eyes. "Don't _remind_ me." You immediately began to search for a proper place to settle down, a thought quickly occurred to you, however. "Actually, can't I just _make_ my own place?"

"Maybe. If you mean to chop down more trees, that would be efficient for your building." Asher answered, walking past you.

You walked about thirty-something paces away from the Sheriff's HQ. Before you began to clear out more trees, and adding to your building supply until a semi-large grass clearing stood as evidence to your contributions to deforestation.

Asher had seemingly taken to meandering around, but he kept close enough to you, possibly to monitor your progress. "So!" You said loud enough to catch Asher's attention. "When it comes to building do I just....?"

"It's like when you were building that workbench, you have to place the wood down with the intent to _build._ And everything will fall into place." Your Guide sagely answered.

You opened your mouth to say something, possibly something sarcastic, but swallowed it back down. "Ooookay?"

Hesitantly, you slowly moved one of your hands downward, clutching a chunk of wood tightly in your hand all the while. And almost like some kind of black magic, the wood _leapt_ out of your hand as if trying to get away from you. It rooted itself into the ground almost into a block formation, as if you had cut, sanded, and planted it into the ground like an actual house frame-

-Something was there. Something was _watching_ you.

This is what your senses screamed at you as you quickly stood upwards, eyes trailing around the forest to see what could cause you to panic in such a way.

There was nothing in the trees, or the distance for what you could see. What was it? Some was _definitely_ here but where-?

 _Below you._ You told yourself as your ankle was suddenly taken out from under you, causing you to fall onto your side and almost smack your head onto the wood you had just placed.

_Whrrrrr....._

"Augh....wha-?" Looking across your shoulder, you were greeted to an acid green eye, but unfortunately it wasn't Mao Mao this time. Instead it was some kind of _automaton_ it was a big as a RC car, a wide metal body with a bright green "eye" in the middle that was focusing in on you, two large tank-tread wheels on either side stirred up the dirt beneath it.

It was like....some kind of _rover._  
  
You didn't even have time to ask _"What the hell?"_ before it raced at you again, chunks of dirt flying behind it as it raced toward you. This thing had no intentions of making friends, and you quickly reached for your sword- sword? _Your sword! Fuck! it's still in your -_

The feeling of rough metal tracks scraping at your skin didn't let you gripe for long enough. You let out a yell of pain as the rover damn near used your face as a race track. Finally snapping out of it, you gripped the heavy metal body of the Rover, it's wheels screeching as it tried to escape your grasp. It was futile however, as soon as you took it of the ground, it couldn't do much but rev it's wheels that had traces of....blood?

Damn, you hadn't looked down yet, but it must've got you good. Gritting your teeth, in the burst of the uncharacteristic action of using your brain, you slammed the thing onto the wood you had placed down. The rover made a sound akin to a warning buzzer going off as it bounced across the grass. As it's green eye bouncing around in it's socket as it landed upside down a few steps away from you.

Hot smoke billowed out of it's "wound" as the wheels eventually came to a halt, it's green eye slowly beginning to dim and.... _boom!_ Literally. The thing had gone out with a bang as it exploded into a midsize cloud of smoke and dirt. You had shielded your face with your hands from any dirt that might get in your eyes. But upon looking up, you noticed a glint in the ground.

"Shards?" You muttered to yourself. And upon more closer inspection, they were much bigger than shards, and they were clearly important as your knapsack sucked them up like the wood from before. _"Wulfrum Metal Scraps"_ is what they were called....How you knew that all of a sudden was another mystery for Asher to tell you about if you could remember to ask.

"Ah, had a run-in with another monster?" 

Speak of the devil.

"Yeah." You deadpanned, looking at your now torn jeans. You hissed as your legs stung as blood leaked from your scratches. "Thanks for your _help_." Asher simply ignored you. "You picked up some metal chunks as well, I assume?" 

"Yes I _did, Mr. know-it-all_." You say, sarcasm dripping from your tone. "Guessin' you're gonna tell me what they're for?" Asher was either really good at hiding his annoyance, or he was just _that_ patient. "Yes, they may seems like useless chunks of metal, but they're the _first_ crafting material you'll be able to use."

"Crafting material?"

"Like iron or tungsten, you can use this material to make new tools, and armor." Asher explained. "You'll need an anvil to make tools, however." While the prospect of new tools seemed interesting, armor seemed to be the most interesting topic right now. You asked Asher to elaborate while you continued to build the frame of your house. "Armor, you say?"

Asher knew the word armor would peak the Hero's interest."Yes, but you'll need _energy cores_ to make the armor-set. Those can be obtained from Wulfrum Pylons and other Wulfrum droids that have been _supercharged._ "

"Supercharged?" You say as you finish the rectangle-shaped frame.

"You're real good at repeating everything I say aren't you?"

"Repeating-? Sorry...." You say, red dusting across your cheeks. " _How_ do these droids become supercharged is what I meant to ask. Also, should I like, make a floor in here or is that a waste of wood?" Asher crossed his arms. "That's what a Wulfrum Pylon does. It gives the other droid types a charge, and makes them more dangerous and a hassle to beat - and yes, put a floor in, I'm not picky, but I've got _standards_."

"Alright, alright!" You say, throwing up your hands in defense. "You know better about this stuff than I do, thought I'd ask for an opinion." Asher was surprised, he actually asked what _he_ wanted? "My opinion doesn't matter really, as long as you make a habitable house before nightfall, we should be good, now you'll need walls, a table and a chair."

All of which can be made with the workbench you made? The fact that you had made it with no nails or any kind of adhesive should have been proof enough, but your inner skeptic refuse to let you get used to it. Asher had yet to steer you wrong, though. You walked over your workbench and moved it to your house- you moved it to your house- _moved it-_

"Asher, why is this not moving?" You ask. The workbench was seemingly rooted into the ground. It wouldn't even so much as _creak_ from your attempts to move it. That still didn't stop you from neatly throwing your back out from trying to move it, however. "It's like its....stuck or something!"

"That's because you're not using the right tool." Asher stepped into the frame, as if to observe and predict the shape of your building. "You're not gonna be using your bare hands for much around here. You need to use your pickaxe to render it into a movable state."

"....I need to smack this thing with the pickaxe you gave me? Won't that break it or damage to where I can't use it anymore?" You still once again found yourself following Asher's instructions, despite your doubts. Reaching into the knapsack and willing your pickaxe out. It wasn't as big as a normal pick, it looked quite _pitiful_ if anything. But it was better than nothing.

Letting out a tired sigh, you raised the pick into the air and brought into onto the wooden top. a loud _thump_ coming from the table as it shook slightly to your surprise. You gave it another good whack, and with a lighter thunk, it give way. It seemed to jump from the ground and hover in place as if the rules of gravity suddenly no longer applied to it.

"......." You wanted to say something. Complain, ask Asher, do _something._

"Fuck it." 

So you just ignored it, and let the workbench fly into your inventory. You turned around to finish working on your home. The day was still young, and you clearly had your work cut out for you today. You forced back a yawn, and walked back to your house frame, and possibly the rest of your life.


	5. Going Underground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In need of new materials, our protagonist, along with a new companion, set out to see what the world has to offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christ above, Guess who found out that Calamity has a lot more lore that he thought. Sheesh.

  
Well, ain't this something?

Using up every iota of energy in your brain to plot out the house design, and with the seemingly _blocky_ way the wood aligned itself it made plotting the design a little bit easier.

The corner pieces and the roof remained the same, caramel-colored wood that you had placed, although the other wood you proceeded to place _in-between_ the beams took on a more lattice x-shape. It looked enough to be a complete house.

"You'll need _walls_." Asher hadn't been pleased, however, The Guide ran his hands across the wooden cross-beams. "This is just the framework."

"And that's where the walls come in, right?" You eyed the thick "sheets" of wood that were piled in your arms.

Asher gave a affirmative nod. "Monsters can appear from the natural shadows of the world. Walls prevent that from happening." You could've guessed that much. You slowly lined up a sheet of wood with the edge of one your wooden pillars.

And to no one's surprise, it's edges fused with the pillar's. And with a few test pulls, it was, in fact, rooted into the wood. And one by one, you filled in the walls' gaps until there was no negative space left.

And so, to no fanfare except your feeling of accomplishment, your house was finished. "Hah! It already feels like home, doesn't it, Asher!"

"Seen better." Asher walked behind you to throw open the door and walk _back outside_ into the fading sun.

Your jaw loosened. "Well just _shoot me_ why don't ya?! You could at least say _'_ _thank you'_ for building us a house! _W_ _ithout your help_ I might add!"

"But it's _not_ a house."

If your eyes bugged out any more, they would fall out of your head. "E-E-E- _Excuse me_? Then what the hell did I just spend _hours_ making?!" Asher simply leaned against a tree, his gaze being taken by the sunset.

 _"This housing is not suitable."_ Asher said without looking at you. "It's missing a table and a chair."

A loud _smack_ echoed through the forest at low volume. You smacked your palm against your forehead. "I- You- _That's_ what's wrong?! You're upset that you don't have a place to _sit?!"_

"Never said that I was upset." Asher said. "Would you want to live in a mansion but not have any furniture in it?" Your mouth flapped up and down like a fish, unable to find a retort.....due to the fact that, well...

"Fair enough." You surrendered. "You're _right._ How do I make some furniture again?" Asher still had his back to you, but you could already tell he liked one-uping you all the time.

"You'll need four pieces of wood to make a chair, and eight to make a table, so twelve in all- you're already gone aren't you?" Asher glanced out of his peripherals, he could spot your figure inside of their humble home, already hard at work placing wood together.

"Well at least you're getting used to the rules." Asher would mumble to himself as he glanced out into the distant town. "Maybe you'll be able to fix things after all."

* * *

Pudding cup in hand, Adorabat sat on the railing of the dojo. Behind her, a small easel and portrait sat splattered with a swathe of colors. After the lesson with Mao Mao, she decided a break would be nice. However, deep in the forest, she spotted two familiar faces.

Like a nature documentary, Adorabat watched as the stranger put the finishing touches on his house. The way he had gone about putting it together, greatly reminded her of the building blocks she used to play with.

The human began to scratch the back of his head, looking mighty confused about what he should do next. Eventually he picked a direction and began to walk. The sun had hit the halfway point and shining brightly as ever, it was a Saturday, and she still had plenty of other things she had wanted to do today.

Adorabat glanced back at her easel, then back at the man disappearing deeper into the woods.

Setting her pudding down, she was off like the races following behind you closely.

**_______________________________________**

** Chapter Five **

**\- Going Underground -**

**~ Ooh, shiny! ~**

**_______________________________________**

You learned your lesson from last time, pain _was_ a great teacher like that.

You sheathed your broadsword on your back, and you were currently using your gem-stave as a walking stick. You were currently in search of a cave, or an "ore-pocket" as Asher called it. 

"Man, I may be a strange man in a world full of bipedal animals, but I _am_ lost in a really beautiful place." You had to keep your shoulders straight and head held high. Your main objective (aside from being told what to by everyone) was to find out who you _are._

....But you were severely lackin' in _leads_. You had fallen out of the sky like Icarus and the sun. You didn't have anything on your person to remind you of who you could be, no phone, wallet. Just a gigantic heart-shaped ruby, a sheriff's department, and a Cat who seemed to hate you with every fiber of his being-

_"-Guh!"_

Clumsily, the tip of your shoe hit something hard, nearly causing you to eat dirt. You hobbled on one foot for a second before balancing yourself again. Looking at what you tripped on, a bright glint took your vision. Hardened material was jutting out of the ground, you had thought the were just a rock pile, but these were _shiny._

They were a bright beige color. The word _"Iron."_ popped into your head before you could properly process what it was.Oh well, time to start mining. Pulling your copper pick out of your knapsack, you showed little hesitation in bringing the tool down onto the ore. 

_Clang, Clang, Clang._ The ore slowly cracked and gave way, rewarding you with a chunk of iron. You wacked again and again until you had left a decent sized hole in the ground, and you walked away with twelve chunks of iron. "Well, it's not much but it's _honest_ work!" you said in an exaggerated southern drawl.

"Really? It looks like a buncha' rocks to me."

Your smile dissolved off your face, your gaze slowly turned to your left, a blue bat had perched herself onto your shoulder. "Where in the _world_ did you come from?" Adorabat quickly tried to explain herself, speaking a mile a minute. "I-! Uh-! Well I saw you and your friend working on your house, and I was painting and I saw you leave, and I wasn't doing anything and...and...and-!"

Almost on some sort of reflex, you gently raised a hand in a calming gesture. "Adorabat....just slow down..."

Adorabat did just that upon hearing the Human's surprisingly soothing voice, the bat took a deep breath and.....

"Can...Can I come exploring with you?" 

The fact alone that _someone_ around here seemed to tolerate your presence was enough to make your willpower crumple in on itself. But the way this Bat, this _kid,_ had this kind of effect on you, seemed to be something else entirely. Something pulled at the back of your mind, familiarity, but most of all.... _protectiveness_.

"Well, I usually wouldn't mind, but I don't think you should be tagging along with someone you barely know." You lectured. "I'm sure Mao Mao or Badgerclops told you that."

Adorabat looked dejected, shaving a little bit more off your willpower. "Oh _please!_ Please let me come! I never get to go this far out in the forest!" 

"There's probably good reason for that, too." You say, placing your hands on your hips. "I don't want you get hurt, kiddo." 

Adorabat quickly switched to a grimace. Was this guy looking _down_ on her?! "I can take care of _myself!_ Mao Mao's been teaching me a lot of stuff, I'm not afraid of anything!" She wasn't exactly _wrong_ if that whole _"roaches in the cave"_ fiasco was anything to go by. You put your finger under your chin in exaggerated thought "Hmm....oh _alright._ But we're not gonna go too far out, okay?"

Adorabat's eyes sparkled the sun above, and she was off in a random direction. "Yay! I'm going on an adventure!"

"Woah- Hey-! Let's _'go on an adventure'_ a little more _slowly_ , eh?"

Oh man, what curse have you just placed on yourself?

* * *

Adorabat turned out to be _very_ capable. 

"Look out, kid!" Adorabat flew around like a rouge firework, dodging another one of those wulfrum constructs; a hover board by the look of it.

Pulling out your bow, you drew an arrow back and sent it, hoping that it would pierce it's eyeball. Your hopes being dashed by the hovercraft flying out of it's way. You muttered a curse as you reached for another arrow.

"Tch, damn." You muttered not wanting the kid to learn a new word because of you. "Adorabat, see if you can keep it still!"

"You got it!" The blue bat gave the vest thumbs up she could. _"I'm a distraction~!"_ Adorabat whizzed by the wulfrum droid. A mechanical hum came from the droid as it recalculated it's target.

"Yeah, that's right..." You say deviously while taking aim with your copper bow. "...Stand right _there_ for me." You felt an evil grin grow on your face as you loosened your grip on the arrow's nock....

And let it fly in a completely random direction as you felt your muscles convulse as electricity course through your body. Adorabat's giddy expression faded as she heard your yell of pain. "Y/N-!"

A beam of blue light grazed her head as she took notice of what had nearly fried her friend. Two more creatures had joined the fray; a teardrop shaped drone, eyes a watery blue and crackling with electricity. And had it not been waggling it's antenna, she wouldn't have noticed the pylon rooted to the ground.

Your muscles were quivering terribly, you had been shot with _a lot_ of volts. But thankfully as soon as the flaring pain was there, your muscles relaxed...allowing you to narrowly avoid getting blasted once more.

Focus, Y/N. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed.

You shot an arrow at the pylon, it's electric charging field was going at full blast and casting a dull light around it. That didn't stop your arrow from piercing its armor. Crackling electricity leaking from it's opening, but it somehow stayed resilient despite keeping it's gaze on the arrow lodged deep in it's body. Adorabat let out a yelp as she ducked under another laser blast, she had seen more impressive ones from Badgerclops of course, but they still didn't look too friendly. "What're we gonna do? They're too fast!"

Your back collided against something hard. Pieces of something large and round became strewn about, as you could see something small and round roll unceremoniously into your vision.

Is that....?

"We're good!" You say beginning to brim with confidence. "Adorabat get over here!"

Adorabat quickly did as she was told, and as she made her way to re-perch herself onto your back, she caught a glimpse of what you were holding; something round, something that made a loud _click_ as he pulled the pin out of it. Adorabat had barely any time to hide behind you before she felt and _heard_ a cacophony of noise and devastation as chunks of dirt flew by staining the trees and hills. 

Adorabat had held her sensitive ears, and she slowly peeked out from over your shoulder at the devastation you had just caused: Metal chunks had fallen everywhere along with three glowing orbs of... _something._

"What was that?" Adorabat asked softy. "What'd you _do?"_

"Well, weirdly enough-" You brushed your foot against the remnants of the pot you had smashed. "-I broke one of these on accident, and believe it or not-"

You held up your hand, a small round grenade. The pin jingled against it's olivine shell. _"Grenade, Hand, Frag, Delay." w_ as written across it in bold yellow lettering.

"Oh! I use something like these!" Adorabat pulled a similar looking bomb out of....well, nowhere. It was almost like a small spice pouch with a wick stuck inside. "They're just smoke bombs though...."

"You had smoke bombs this _whole_ time?" You say while raising an eyebrow. "Those could have been handy when we were you know, _outnumbered?!_ "

Adorabat gave a sheepish laugh as she scratched the back of her neck. This hadn't been the _first time_ she had forgotten about her equipment when they would _actually_ be useful at the moment.

You rolled your eyes. Directing your gaze down toward your rewards.

"These must be those _energy cores_ Asher was talking about...." You muttered as you added the shards to your inventory. You held off on the energy cores in favor of picking them up directly.

And the second your fingers made contact, your arm- your entire body began to vibrate with arcane energy. _"Co-oo-ol~!"_ Adorabat eyed her vibrating wing. "What _is_ it?"

"Well-" You began to dump all three of the energy cores into your knapsack. "-Asher told me they were materials that could help me make _armor."_

"For _real?!_ " The first image that appeared in her head when she thought of armor were the crimson hues of Mao Mao's _"hero clothes"_ and if Adorabat wanted to be a hero, she needed a good pair of _armor_ too....

_"Can you make me some too?!"_

Adorabat hit you with the question without a lot of warning. Like getting a right hook after you've already just heard the bell ring. "I- you want me to- what-?"

Adorabat felt heat rise to her face. A blush quickly dusting across her cheeks. "I mean-! I'm sorry I just-"

Her embarrassment grew in intensity as she heard you begin to _laugh._ "I mean, I'd love too Adorabat but I'm not sure how I'm gonna go about making some for _myself._ Asher said I'd need an anvil to make some new tools. And all I've found so far is some iron. And a small amount too...."

You looked between the path back home, and the one that lead deeper into the forest. "So, what do you think? You think its better to go home or do you wanna keep going-?"

 _"Yes, please!"_ Adorabat was off.... _again._

_"That wasn't a 'yes or no' question!"_

* * *

Mao Mao didn't do well with restlessness, it didn't suit him, being a (up and coming) legendary hero and all so he never let it affect him

But yet, here he was, hunched over a box of his few belongings he decided to hold onto when he ran away from home. He had kept these hidden in an inconspicuous looking chest, something that wouldn't attract the untrained eye.

While he had built enough of a bond with Badgerclops to trust him with his life, some things were better left unsaid, wounds unopened, and boxes unsearched.

Which is why _your_ appearance, your seemingly very _existence_ was making him do all these strange things, _feel_ all these strange things. Mao Mao found himself pouting as he rummaged through the chest.

He took inventory: Picture of his family when he was young, old survival handbook taken from his library, A _very_ old lucky ducky plush (he put that aside, intending on giving that a wash) his old green garb, and-

"There...." Mao Mao whispered, voice unusually low. He reached in and pulled out a vibrantly colored necklace, the string was a bright green, the pink center jewel was of a flower-like design with a yellow core. 

He had these belongings for years, all of them caked over with a fine layer of dust. But this necklace looked like he had just acquired it yesterday. But the thing was, that he didn't remember getting it from neither his father or his sisters, and it wasn't just because gifts from them were _rare_ either. Mao Mao knew Y/n had something to do with this. He was connected to this somehow....

"But _why_?!" 

"Why _what?_ " 

Mao Mao quickly and uncharacteristically fumbled with the necklace in his hands, quickly hiding it in the folds of his cape as Badgerclops poked his head through the attic trapdoor. Mao Mao coughed into his fist to buy him an extra second to think of a lie. A _lie._ is this what it's come to? Curse this... _guy_ making him do all this nonsense! "Oh! I uh, was looking for an old....Lucky Ducky collectable I had! And I uh- can't find it.

Badgerclops knew when his friend was fibbing. And he would've thought that Mao Mao of all people was smart enough to know that, but he clearly expected too much here. "Really? I though all you owned was that mug you drinking out of?"

"That's-! This is _another_ one I own! it's an old um.... _figurine!_ And it's got this manufacturers issue-"

 _"-Ri-i-i-ight."_ Badgerclops interrupted, leaning on his arm while shooting a wry grin. "So what's that in your hands behind you?"

Mao Mao was barely able to contain his surprise. However the sweat beginning to bead down his temple wasn't being so discreet. "What are you talking about?" Mao Mao had said that way too quickly for his own liking. 

Badgerclops wasn't gonna let that pass either.

"Yeah, say how's about you flip your cape up for me?"

"Excuse me?" Mao Mao said feigning an exasperated tone. "What are you some kinda' perv?!"

"You know good and _well_ what I meant by that 'Mao." Badgerclops wasn't gonna falter now. Badgerclops already had an inkling of why he was up here rummaging through his old belongings. Y/N and Asher had been nothing short of interesting characters since their mysterious arrival in the town. While Badgerclops knew nothing of one, he could find out about the other. 

And the only person who wanted to know more about him than anyone else was standing right in front of him. 

The cy-badger watched as Mao Mao shifted his eyes, arms fidgeting slightly before flipping up his cape to reveal his hands. His very _empty_ hands.

Badgerclops frowned, he had been holding something he was sure of it. But he couldn't prove now that Mao Mao had hidden it god-knows-where on him, he would have to drop it for now. "Mmmkay! Just try not to pitch a fit when that toy comes up broken!" 

Mao Mao watched him disappear down the ladder. Letting out a sigh of relief when he was finally out of earshot. He reached into the back of his sash, not his most unique hiding spot, but he knew Badgerclops wouldn't press farther than one question. He eyed the necklace once more, giving it one last good look, and upon looking closer, he could see something scratched onto the jewel.

It was a single word: _"Revenge."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If y'all feel like I'm not portraying the characters properly, don't be afraid to tell me! I can take my licks.
> 
> Also, brownie points to anyone who knows what Mao Mao's holding at the end.


	6. Freewill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After coming back from his expedition, our protagonist has a glimpse into his past and what he's fighting for.
> 
> is that really a good thing, truly?

  
_What was he doing?_

_The young man had taken care to not make any noise as he made his way through the brush, the cool breeze of the night billowing through the thin cracks of his armor._

_Thorny claymore heavy on his back, he peered forward at two men that trudged through the forest. His self-imposed tailing mission had been long, but hadn't been difficult, it had been hard to lose them due to the electric cyans and molten magentas of the stranger's ornate armor._

_But, despite the Man's eccentric armor coloring, he wasn't the area of the younger man's concern. The man who possessed immeasurable strength since birth, who wore fossilized, seemingly indestructible armor made of tree bark, the unmistakable green glint of his helmet's horns._

_**Braelor** _ _had left camp in the dead of night. Having been unable to sleep, and undetected by both parties he followed them under the cover of the dark forest. The brightly colored man would occasionally say something to Braelor, but he would be unable to hear._

_The trip had been far from short, a little bit over half an hour and after one close call too many, he was praying that he would see where Braelor was being taken to already._

_But he reconsidered. Lord Gollius would surely have his and his platoon's heads for sure if Braelor was lost._

_Eventually, all three men had arrived at their destination._

_It had looked like a simple village._ _But sickly sweet smell slowly danced under your nose. It was that moment that you noticed the thin trails of ash wafting into the night sky._

_The village had been set aflame. And fairly recently as well. Possibly a day or two ago._

_Braelor, and by extension, Him, were led into the village. The smell had become more sickly than sweet. And became full on foul as he realized what the scent emanated from._

_Burnt corpses remained, charred and festering flesh clung lazily to the remains of the people in this village. He could faintly make out the terror and agony on their faces._

_He could feel his face morph into the same expression, bile rising into his throat and legs suddenly weighing tons._

_But he still forced himself to look._

_But all that proved to do was expose him to more pain, to more of his unknowing sins. There, in the middle of the ruins stood a banner._

_A familiar sigil; a crimson flower star-bursting outwards with thorns cascading across green and black lozenges._

_The royal family's sigil._

_The sigil of the royal family he was currently serving._

_He came terribly closer to vomiting. Nearly damming whether or not he got caught by Braelor and his seemingly newfound friend._

_Braelor seemed to share his horror however. Even through his armor he could see his slight trembling...._

_That morning, after blankly walking back toward his outpost he didn't even sleep, just slid down the nearest stone wall and stared into the nothingness._

_Braelor did not return to leave with the envoys sent by Gollius._

_As he received the request for his presence at the temple, the seeds of doubt had been planted in his mind and quickly began to take root._

_"Your presence has been requested, Sir-"_

**_________________________________________ **

**Chapter Six** ****

**\- Freewill -**

**~ Fruits of our labor ~**

**_________________________________________ **

"-Y/N?"

"Wh- Huh?"

Adorabat peered upward at the Human's blank expression. Eyes coming back into focus and hair bobbing as he lightly shook his head. "Oh! Sorry 'bout that, Adorabat. What were we doing?"

"Uh, open this up?!" Adorabat excitedly said, like you should already know the answer. And that was because you were the one who spotted this chest just waiting patiently under a dirt alcove. "C'mon! I can't believe treasure's been sitting around here this whole time!"

It had been a surprise to see. The chest looked basic, like something you'd see in a log cabin bedroom. You forced open the lid revealing it's dark interior.

Reaching inside, you took inventory of what you pulled out: _five grenades, ten ingots of iron, seventy five strips of rope, forty-five shuriken, a vial of dull-green liquid, and...._

Your hand brushed against something hard and slender. Raising an eyebrow you pulled out an unembellished _spear_ of all things, a sharp, bronze tip with a solid steel shaft.

"A new weapon?" You say, perking up a little bit. Having a little bit of distance for stabbing sounded good. "Sweet~!"

"Is...Is that it?" Adorabat whined slightly, climbing into the chest to see if they had missed anything. Moaning in disappointment when she, in fact, came out empty handed. You felt a grimace pull at the corner of your mouth. Everything in that chest seemed to apply to _Yo_ _u_ more than her....

But it _was_ only fair that she got her share she _did_ have a hand in not letting you get fried by a wulfrum laser. You quickly looked through the things you had obtained-

"Hey, Adorabat!"

"Huh?" The Human crouched to Adorabat's level and offered something to her: five sharp, four-pointed shuriken sat across his now dirtied hands like a deck of cards.

"Take em'." You say, holding one in between your index and middle finger. "As a keepsake. Or you could just practice with em' or something, either way I just thought it would be fair if you got something for helping me out today-"

Adorabat's eyes sparkled like the sun. Gingerly taking the throwing stars from your hand. "Really?! I can have these for real?"

"I don't see why not. But of you wanna do something for me in return, _please_ be careful with them. I don't think your folks....or _I_ will forgive myself if you end up hurting yourself- _oof_!" You were stopped mid-sentence as you felt a small impact on upper chest. Your eyes widened slightly upon realizing Adorabat had wrapped her wings around you as best she could, her wings barely reaching under your arms. Your face turned into a deep shade of red at the sudden affection, and you awkwardly began to run your fingers between her ears.

"Ah, i-it's no problem! Just make sure you don't hurt yourself-"

You looked down. "-Right, Adora-"

Green eyes stared back at you, blue fur was replaced with black, and red overalls covered her body. Small, mitten-like paws wrapped softly around you like a warm blanket.

You could feel your mouth flap up and down like a beached fish. Muted noises escaped you, and you blinked hard.

And it was gone. It was just Adorabat.

And no one else.

Adorabat must've heard your ragged breaths. And she looked up at you, eyes full of confusion. "Are you okay? You're breathing really hard." You swallowed the saliva pooling in your mouth and shook your head reassuringly, putting the strange image behind you.

"Yeah...I-I'm good. I'm gonna collect some more wood and take you home." You stood to your full height, placing Adorabat onto your shoulder once more, the mild headache you had received from the little spike of what you had believed to be your memory.

"Say, uh-" You sheepishly fiddled with your sword's sheath. "Why do _you_ think Mao Mao hates me so much? I figured since he trusts you he'd give you a reason."

"I don't know...." Adorabat solemnly answered. "He's not usually that mean."

"He isn't-?" You say, cocking an eyebrow. "Could've had me fooled. Anyway, if you don't mind me asking, are Mao Mao and Badgerclops your parents?"

".....Well, I'm training to be a hero! And to do that, I have to stay with them, don't I?" Adorabat answered, enthusiastically as always. However, her hesitation and they way she didn't _completely_ answer your question didn't go over your head. A twinge of guilt hit you, it wasn't really your business to begin with.

"Sure." Was your simple answer. "Let's head home."

A nap sounded good right about now.

* * *

Defeated by a _child._

_A child._

Orangusnake glared at the ceiling as he lied on his best friend's shoulders, geez he probably pulled a muscle having to pull himself taut just to wrap around Tanner. It had been a whopping twenty-four hours since he was defeated by that little blue _pest._ And _every single one_ of those hours had piled the embarrassment on.

Coby released a sigh out of his nose, He looked out of their window, and through the many burnt trees (courtesy of his ship plummeting out of the sky for the first time) he spotted the pink outlines of the Ruby Pure Heart. It had been the most illustrious and beautiful gemstone he had laid eyes on.

It would've looked much better in his treasury room-

Wait no, scratch that. There was no room, tack that on his list of things to do-

_"Hey buwoss! Do you know where the coffee is?! Boss Hostrich wants to know!"_

- _Yep._ Putting it right under: _"Find new crewmates, ASAP."_

Coby groaned, all those crewmates, those _real_ pirates weren't easy to come by. Maybe he could fly around and try to find them, they couldn't hand gotten too far. "Stupid Iron-Wing, _"Oh! These wings are too heavy!"_ What a Dingus."

Coby coiled himself around Tanner, briefly resting his chin atop his partner's head as he reached for his armor. "Ugh, what a mess we're in Tanner."

The Orangutan glanced upward, and began to move his hands, Coby's head reflexively hurting, sign language had been a pain to learn after they had first met.

_"_ _Chin up._ " Tanner signed. _"We've gotten through worse. Remember that activist rally we atten-"_

"No! _No!_ Don't bring that up! I'm _never_ dealing with pepper spray again!" Colby internally shuddered at the memory. He still didn't know _why_ the police had singled him out so hard that day. "I can't even so much as chop onions without bawling my eyes out now."

Tanner's smile never left his face. _"Since when did_ you _do all the cooking around here?"_ Coby simply scoffed, playfully swatting one of Tanner's fingers. "Oh, _hush._ We're a team remember?"

_"_ _-Buwoss?"_

"Except when it comes to _this._ " Coby's grimace returned. "These are _your_ crewmates."

Tanner let out a muted laugh. _"Sure, sure."_

* * *

As the Sheriff's Department came into the view beyond the wall of trees. The air had began to cool, and the sun began to bid it's farewell, kissing the sky with it's bright orange rays. Adorabat napped on the lid of your bag, having tired herself out from flying around. Your hands were stuck deep in your pockets as you trotted past you house und u the Sheriff's porch.

You let out an inward groan. You tapped your knuckles across the door, ready to take another tongue lashing from Mao Mao- 

-No, you know _what?_ Screw that. You had dealt with it just to be the better man, but you weren't gonna let him walk all over you, no way, _no how._ If we wanted to be an asshole, fine. Two can dance to that tango-

"-Adorabat!"

Mao Mao's voice was a far cry from the irritation your had expected. Adorabat was quickly and gingerly taken from your hands, Mao Mao's gloved fingers brushed against yours. Your face flushed, your muscles tensed, and your throat dried out immediately. You didn't like this feeling, _at all_.

Adorabat groggily opened her eyes. "Huh-wuh? Mao Mao?" 

Mao Mao cradled Adorabat close. "Where've you _been_? You never came home for lunch!" Adorabat stirred more, eyes opening little wider just to look away in minor shame. "S-Sorry, I had been-"

"-She'd been with me _._ " You piped up suddenly. "I was out exploring and she wanted to go with me and I let her. So it's my fault." You looked Mao Mao in the eye, looks like you'll have to take that tongue lashing just like the others-

Mao Mao let out a tired sigh. "It's fine."

"I know, I should've asked you first, being her caretaker and all- Wait _what?"_

"I said it's fine." Mao Mao answered. " _Badgerclops!_ " Mao Mao yelled, having seemingly little regard for the still half-asleep bat. She didn't seem to mind too hard thankfully. "Can you come and grab Adorabat? I still have to fix dinner!"

It was then you picked up the sound of swords clanging and grunts of pain from Badgerclops's in-game avatar from further in the house. Must be having an intense gaming session. "Yeah! Uh! Gimmie a sec-!"

" _-Now,_ Badgerclops." And Mao Mao wasn't in the mood for it.

A groan on annoyance, and a couple heavy footsteps later, Badgerclops took Adorabat from Mao Mao, throwing her over shoulder. Through her clearly blurring vision, Adorabat could make out your blurry outline, and gave a half-hearted wave. You waved back as Badgerclops disappeared into their room.

"G'night kid." You uttered. 

"Where did you go?" Mao Mao's voice took you out of the short but sweet moment. Being addressed without venom in Mao Mao's voice was a new feeling. "I- uh- I had just taken her around the forest a little bit, she said she had never gotten out so...."

Mao Mao scrunched his lip, trying to quell his distaste. He _did_ bring back Adorabat safe and sound, so he could throw him _that_ bone at least. Mao Mao had searched for more of the man's good traits to diminish his unnecessary feelings. 

He had saved him and Adorabat back in those caves. "I guess I should take her out some myself, then...." Mao Mao could feel heat rising to his cheeks, this was _torture._

Thankfully, Mao Mao could see he wasn't alone in his sentiments, your face contorted into fluster as you quickly ran out of things to discuss. You racked your brain, trying _desperately_ to think of something to say....

Come on Y/N, think of something. Something heartfelt.

"....Have we met before?"

Christ above, you were a fucking _disappointment_. 

The sentence had more effect on Mao Mao than you thought, much to your obliviousness. The samurai sucked in air through his teeth, suddenly unable to meet your gaze. "I....I don't- I don't _know_." 

You paused. A possibility that never occurred to you flared up in your mind.

_Could Mao Mao be feeling this too?_

".....Mao Mao?" Your hand reached outward, your body seemingly on autopilot. His sullen expression flipped a switch in your head, like a dad wanting to comfort his son after a botched baseball game. 

You quickly retracted your hand your senses quickly coming back to you. "I should probably get going, I'll be in trouble if I don't get back before nightfall." You turned on your heel to avoid falling in the pit that just seemingly grew nonstop between you and Mao Mao.

"Wait!"

A hand on your wrist stopped you. 

"Look....I just, I'm sorry." Mao Mao uttered, mouth slightly upturned into a grimace. He was swallowed his pride right now, and it tasted like something akin to a soda that had gotten all warm. "I just, when I saw you that night....you just make me feel weird."

"Yeah, I guess considering how I look, I _am_ a bit of a trespasser in the weirdest sense."

"Wha-?! That's not what I _mean_!I'm being serious here!" Mao Mao flailed his arms. "Look, what I'm trying to say is, I wanna' get to the bottom of all this. Every time I try to push this back, I just get a _migraine._ "

Mao Mao quickly fumbled with something behind his back, eventually pulling out something shiny and green. Is that a _necklace_? "Does _this_ look familiar at all?"

"What-? What even-?" You squinted at the floral necklace that Mao Mao held. The jewel center slowly twisted around, eventually revealing it's equally illustrious back. And although the sunset made it difficult, you could make out something etched into the blossoming flower. 

_'REVENGE.'_

Yharim.

_Yharim!_

_**"YHARIM!"** _

A splitting headache forced you to your knees. Hitting the porch with a _thump._ Sweat formed on your forehead in record speeds. Cascading down your face as you clutched your head, clumping hair in-between your fingers.

Mao Mao's eyes went wide, dropping to his knees beside you with a strange amount of worry. "Y/N! Are you alright?!"

You should have been amazed that Mao Mao remembered your name, but the thought of your skull possibly exploding from this pain kept you from enjoying it. If these little memory spikes were gonna be like _this,_ then you would rather _stay_ clueless.

The word _Yharim_ however kept the curious spark or rather _enraged_ spark alive, however. The name kindled something within your soul, made burn furiously like a brazier.

But the fire was too fierce. And there wasn't enough firewood to satiate it. You felt something warm drip down to your lip, and your mouth tasted like copper.

A profaned image stood before you. As you tightly shut your eyes, a figure stood out from the blackness.

He stood at an imposing nine feet, clad in ornate golden armor that could only be described as _G_ _odlike._ A large red plume that fluttered gracefully down past the small of his back.

It was him. The _usurper_ , the _conqueror,_ the _murderer._

Through the twinkling teal visor of the Man's helmet, you could make out a malicious, mocking grin.

And that's when the fire reached it's hottest point.

* * *

Mao Mao wondered why you were staring at the wall like they had just threated his mother.

"Hey! Hey, c'mon, snap out of it will'ya-!"

A savage scream showed him just how useless that statement was. In an impressive amount of speed, you had brandished your broadsword and swung at the air in front of you. The edge crashing down onto the wooden steps, snapping and splintering the wood below. 

The heavy thudding of footsteps quickly approached. "What the heck's going _on_ out here?!"

Sweat dripping and mixing with the blood coming from your nose, your breathing ragged and slow, you slowly looked up at Baderclops's horrified expression. You had a few precious seconds of consciousness left to turn your head to look at Mao Mao, he looked wide eyed and almost _frightened_. 

_"Furball..."_ You uttered.

And collapsed on the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been thinking, and I was wondering if you all wanted the protagonist to be addressed by some sort of title instead of just Y/N.
> 
> Something akin to "Ashen One" or "Slayer Of Demons" from the "Souls" series.


End file.
